Kill The Conduit
by AlphaPheonix
Summary: Delsin Rowe, the Banner Man himself, finds himself pulled through a rift in time and space accidentally made by Kessler's time jump, and in the world of Akame Ga Kill. With new powers and a world filled with monsters, human and non-human, will Delsin find a way home, or will he end up a casualty in a war between the Empire and Revolutionary Army?
1. Kill The Rift

Delsin Rowe. The man who saved Seattle and freed the subjugated Conduits from Curdan Cay Penitentiary, a prison camp for Conduits who the D.U.P. and their director, Brooke Augustine, named Bio-Terrorists. Over the span of a month, Delsin Rowe had discovered he was a Conduit of incredible and unique power, had seen his tribe, his family, be hurt by Brooke Augustine herself, went to Seattle to confront Augustine and try and get her to heal their tribe, outed the D.U.P. from Seattle, absorbed the power from three other Conduits, Hank Daughtry, Abigail Walker, and Eugene Sims, lost his brother, defeated Augustine by absorbing her own power and revealing what she's done to their kind, Conduits, and to Seattle to the world and freed Seattle from D.U.P. occupation.

Delsin had returned to Seattle after healing his tribe to help the Seattle Police in tracking down the deranged Conduit named Celia Penderghast. She was the first Conduit apprehended by Augustine and was trained to be Augustine's assassin to make the public think Conduits were all evil and needed to be locked away in Curdan Cay Penitentiary. She claimed to Delsin that it was to save Conduits from hateful people who blamed Conduits for the trail of bodies stretching from Empire City to New Marais thanks to the ultimate Conduit, a being known as the Beast, 7 years prior. The Beast had been stopped by the First Conduit. A man with power over lightning, Cole MacGrath, and despite his efforts, Conduits were still blamed for the actions of one person.

"Yo, D," said Abigail 'Fetch' Walker over the phone. "You told me she was fast, but I didn't think she was this fast!"

"She uses the wind to move around! Her paper ability allows her to be as light as a feather and move with the wind, but it also makes her path unpredictable because of it!"

"Dammit, I lost her!"

"Eugene, see anything?!"

"Yeah," said another voice on the line. "She's near the Lantern District, next to a lot of video monitors!"

"Can you trap her like you did me?! Stall her long enough for me and Fetch to catch her?!"

"I think so! One Heaven's Hellfire trap, coming up! You two better get to the location I sent you fast, she's already starting to damage me!"

"On our way, Geek," said Fetch. Delsin spotted a trail of pink neon heading toward the Lantern District and grinned, switching to the same power and following her.

"I'm on your tail, Fetch!"

"Enjoying the view, Babe?!"

"Can you two please stop flirting," said Eugene. "Geez, all week with you two since you started dating!"

"Sorry, Eugene," said Delsin. "Have you contacted the police?"

"Yeah, they'll move in as soon as they see your banner!"

"God, I'm gonna hurt whoever came up with Banner Man."

"Let it go, D," said Fetch. "It's just a name."

"Yeah, a lame one." Delsin switched to video and launched into the air once they got to the Lantern District and flew to the coordinates Eugene gave them. Delsin landed just as Fetch arrived.

"No fair using Eugene's power to beat me here!"

"All's fair in love and war, Fetch," said Delsin as he kissed her.

"Guys," said Eugene, struggling to keep Celia contained. "Little help here?!"

"Sure thing, Geek," said Fetch. She charged up her neon as Delsin found a car and blasted it till it started smoking. He absorbed the smoke and went to the video screen Eugene was standing in front of.

"Alright, let her go. Fetch, get ready to run, I'm gonna smoke bomb her as soon as she gets out."

"Sure thing, Babe."

"Dropping the trap," exclaimed Eugene. Instantly, a trail of paper launched from the video screen and right into Delsin, tackling him down and disrupting his smoke bomb. A blast of paper sent Eugene and Fetch flying as Celia sat on top of the Banner Man.

"Ow," groaned Delsin.

"Hello Delsin."

"Celia. Always a pleasure."

"Why are you doing this to me?"

"You can't keep killing people!"

"Our people deserve to be free! And people only respond to force!"

"Look at everything I've done! The only times I've killed were when I didn't have a choice! Other than that, I have been merciful and captured the D.U.P. soldiers, undercover agents and the criminals of this city! You need to stop!"

"Why should I? I'm just doing what you inspired me to do."

"If my actions inspired you to become the monster Augustine branded our kind as, then I'm sorry. And I'm sorry for this." Delsin grabbed her hand and absorbed her power. "Fetch, trap her when she's out!" As Delsin took her powers, he also got a glimpse of her memories, something he'd seen once before with the paper doves she left all over the place. This time, instead of learning her story, Delsin learned her power. He learned how do every trick in her arsenal. When he let go, Fetch moved quickly and wrapped Celia in neon restraints. Delsin groaned as he gripped his head.

"You alright, Babe," asked Fetch.

"Ever had a monster migraine?"

"Once in a while."

"This is like that." He held out his hand and flattened it to the size of paper. "God this feels weird."

"Well your hand is as flat as paper," said Eugene. "So, there's that." Eugene remembered something as Delsin absorbed smoke from the car again and dug into his pocket. "Oh yeah, one of my angels went deep sea diving earlier." He pulled out something from his pocket. "When we recovered Reggie's body, you said this wasn't with him." Eugene held out a sheriff's badge to his best friend. "I didn't stop till we found it." Delsin took it and held it in his hand, smiling sadly.

"Eugene… Thanks, man. This means a lot."

"Don't mention it." Delsin Smoke Dashed into a vent and up onto a roof before raising a flag with his personal tag, two hands cradling a blue city, into the air to signal the police. Almost immediately, a few police cars rushed over and surrounded Celia. Even though she was restrained, she was still no less dangerous. Delsin looked at one of the officers.

"Hey, be careful with her. Her powers allow her to flatten herself to the size of a piece of paper and slip through cracks. She can move faster than most when she rides on the wind, and when she shoots her paper out, it's sharp enough to cut through stone."

"Thanks for the heads up, Rowe. And again, sorry about your brother. He was a good man."

"I know. Thanks, officer." The policemen made sure Celia stayed in the neon restraints as they put her in a patrol car. Delsin watched as they drove off as Eugene looked at him.

"I thought you needed to drain some Blast Cores in order to learn everything about your powers."

"Actually, I don't think they did anything other than give me a quick charge and unlock the knowledge of how to use the powers I get from other Conduits. It's why my powers were most likely locked when I absorbed yours. I'd learned your history, and the knowledge of your powers was put in the back of my mind."

"And I take it this time, because she'd already shared her memories, you were able to focus more on the abilities?"

"Seems like it."

"Can we stop all this talk about powers, already," asked Fetch. "I'm hungry, and you promised you'd buy me dinner!"

"I know. You wanna come, Eugene?"

"Not really feeling like being a third wheel. Besides, I've got a date."

"A date with Heaven's Hellfire doesn't count," said Fetch.

"For your information, Abi, I met a girl."

"…Online, or," said Delsin.

"IRL, thank you very much. She said she likes heroes, and I just happened to be one of the three heroes who took down Augustine, so…"

"Way to go, Eugene!" Delsin gave the gamer a high five and grinned.

"Well, I hope you have a good date then, Geek," said Fetch as she hugged Delsin's arm. "I know we will."

"You know, provided he doesn't have to hunt down a," started Eugene just as his cellphone's crime tracker started up.

"…Possible Conduit activity in the Rainier District. Reports of strange lights and sounds coming from the D.U.P. Command Platform." Fetch smacked Eugene upside the head.

"Jinx!"

"Sorry."

"Don't worry about it," said Delsin. Giving Fetch a quick kiss, he switched to neon and sped off for the concrete platform. When he got there, he spotted a strange sight. "Uh, guys. Do we know of a Conduit power that can open floating holes?"

"Floating holes," asked Fetch. "D, you been inhaling the stuff we destroy in our drug busts?"

"I'm not high, Fetch. At least I don't think I am." Hearing something coming from the hole Delsin got closer. "Hold on, it sounds like there's something in there."

"Don't get to close, Delsin," warned Eugene. "It might be a rift between worlds."

"Yeah, and I'm Augustine. Come on, Eugene. This isn't a videogame."

"No, but you can never be too safe, Delsin."

"Yeah, yeah. Hey guys," said Delsin as he looked into the hole. "I think I see something. Wait a minute, is that Cole MacGrath?" Delsin didn't hear if his best friend or girlfriend responded as he was instantly pulled into the hole.

* * *

Delsin fell, and as he fell, he found himself moving passed image after image, some of them he recognized, him standing over a defeated Augustine, him meeting Eugene, Fetch and Hank. Some he didn't recognize before. Fetch and her brother looking for their dealer, a man in a yellow jacket facing down the Infamous Beast that ravaged the East Coast for a month. The same man, who he now knew was Cole MacGrath, facing what appeared to be an older version of him in the Blast Crater in Empire City. Soon, Delsin was face to face with the same man.

"Nice to meet you, Delsin Rowe."

"Who are you?"

"In your world, I'm known as Kessler. The man who destroyed part of Empire City, in the world I'm originally from, I was known as Cole MacGrath.

"Wait, you're Cole MacGrath?"

"In another life, yes. And somehow, you've stumbled into the same rift I created in my own timeline that somehow bled into yours."

"Wait, your timeline?"

"I used my power to do a single trip through time. In my world, the Beast led a war that ravaged the global population. Humans and Conduits fighting one another instead of living in harmony. My family was caught in the middle. My wife and best friend were human, and I was Conduit. We didn't pick sides and were targeted. My best friend, Zeke Dunbar, and wife, Trish, were threatened and I stood up against the Beast, but I couldn't stop him. You're world is the way it is because of my interference."

"And somehow, you created a rift through time that bled into my timeline?"

"Not just time, space as well. I'm afraid you're about to be taken into another world."

"What?!"

"Calm down and listen. The rift is pulling you into another world. One that needs someone to help it and its people. But as you are, you can't do anything. The technology is different than ours. No video, no neon."

"Oh great, so I'm down two powers, well that's great."

"Considering the gravity of the situation, I opened another rift temporarily, one linked to your version of me."

"You want me to take Cole MacGrath's powers?"

"And the powers of his friend, Lucy Kuo. Both will help you." Kessler opened two small rifts each focused on a wrist, one a man's the other a woman's. "Do it now, quickly!" Delsin grabbed both of their wrists and ignored the history of both people, focusing on the powers they had. When he let go, he groaned.

"Crap. Three powers in one day, not good."

"Good luck Delsin, and don't worry. You'll be able to get back home once you've mastered Cole's ability. And be careful, the weapons of this world are… unique, and certainly more powerful than the conventional weapons of our worlds."

* * *

Delsin screamed as he fell from the sky and grunted when he came into contact with a dirt road. "Not cool…" He stood up and dusted the dirt off his jeans and jacket. "Man… A bit of a warning would've been nice!" He shouted at nothing. "And not response." Pulling out his phone, he tried to see if he could contact Fetch or Eugene and saw there was no service or Wi-Fi signal. "Yeah, guess that should've been obvious. Now, where the hell am I?" He felt the ground shake and stumbled, trying to get his footing back under control. "Whoa. An earthquake?" Screaming nearby got his attention and he took off, running.

Delsin stopped when he saw a giant monster standing in front of a horse-drawn cart with two men on it. "What the Hell?!" The monster turned to him and roared before diving underground. Delsin felt the ground rumble again and knew it was going to come up below him.

"Watch out," said a young man with a sword and brown hair nearby. Delsin looked down before feeling one of his new powers reacting to something. He looked up and saw clouds were overhead.

"Man I hope this works," said Delsin. As soon as the monster shot out of the ground, Delsin called lightning from the clouds above and directed it right at the giant beast. Delsin watched as it scorched and burned and listened to it roar in pain before it collapsed, dead. "Oh, hell yes!" Delsin grinned as he saw sparks of electricity coursing through his arms.

"How the hell did you do that," asked one of the men on the cart.

"Just something I picked up recently."

"Dude," said the boy with the sword. "That was awesome!"

"Ah, thanks." He turned to the two men. "You guys alright?"

"Yeah, thanks to you! You took down that Earth Dragon like it was nothing!" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bag. Delsin could hear coins rattling around in it. "Here, take this for protecting our cart."

"I can't take your money, I just did what anyone would've done."

"You're not from around here, are you?"

"Yeah, you could say that."

"Then I suggest you take that, anyways. If you're new to these parts, you're gonna need something to buy some new clothes and other things you may need, like a place to sleep."

"Thanks, then."

"Where are you off to?"

"Uh…"

"I'm heading to the Capitol," said the boy with the sword, a confidant grin on his face. "I'm going to join the Imperial Military so I can send money back to my village." The two men frowned.

"You're better off just heading back home, kid. There are monsters in the Capitol."

"Has it been overrun by Danger Beasts?"

"Not those kinds of monsters. Humans so monstrous, they make the Danger Beasts seem like garden variety animals," said the man with the reins. "Here." He tossed the bag to Delsin. "You boys need a lift to the Capitol?"

"Sure," said Delsin. "Considering I have no idea where I'm going. I think I got lost twice."

"Hop on, we'll take you both there." Delsin and the boy climbed onto the cart and the other man turned to him.

"What about you? Why are you heading there?"

"I'm just looking for work. Maybe act as protection for some guy or something. Really didn't have a plan when coming here."

"Guess you're lucky to have survived as long as you did."

"I don't think luck had anything to do with it if what he did to the Earth Dragon is anything to go by," said the Boy. "I'm Tatsumi, by the way."

"Delsin." The Conduit shook the boys hand.

"I was going to kill the Danger Beast myself, but you drew it's attention and forced it underground, making me miss my strike."

"Sorry about that, man. Never seen something like that before."

"You must've been fighting smaller Danger Beasts then," said the man holding the reins.

"Uh… yeah. Mostly I've been fighting bad guys trying to kill me or others."

"You a bounty hunter then?"

"More like a decent guy with some… very extraordinary skills." Most of the ride was spent in relative silence until they got to a fork in the road with a man holding a mace standing in the center. Delsin spotted him and looked around, seeing a few glints of metal from between the leaves of nearby bushes. "Tatsumi, it's an ambush. Stay with the cart in case things go South," he quietly told the boy before jumping out of the cart.

"Good afternoon, Random Mace Guy. How can I help you?"

"You can start by handing over your cart and any gold you've got on hand."

"Oh, that seems reasonable. Here's my counter offer." He turned and blasted two bolts of lightning into the bushes, aiming for the metal weapons he spotted from the cart. The bandits shouted in surprise and pain as the electricity hit their weapons and coursed through their bodies, stunning them. Delsin ducked under a swing as the bandit leader tried hitting him with his mace. Delsin undid the chain he kept on his wrist and coursed lightning through it before swinging and hitting the leader. He twitched as electricity coursed through him, paralyzing him slightly.

Tatsumi spotted two of the bandits coming to and about to attack Delsin. Hesitantly, Tatsumi swung his sword and took off the head of one before stabbing the other before he could react. Delsin knocked the leader to the ground and pinned him with lightning before turning to the bush on the other side of the cart.

He sent a wave of electricity to them and lifted their weapons away, along with the only bandit in plate armor. The last bandit held his arms up in surrender and Delsin grinned before zapping him to the ground with a shot to the chest, pinning him down as well. He let go of his magnetic grip and watched the man plummet and a mace land on his head, knocking him out. "Ooh, that's gotta hurt." He turned to the men on the cart. "You guys mind if we carry them on the cart to the Capitol? I'm sure the authorities would like to know a ground of bandits are off the streets." The driver nodded, slightly frightened by what he had just witnessed. The rest of the ride was spent with Delsin making sure the bandits were properly restrained with rope before they got to the Capitol gates. Tatsumi ran off ahead to try and find the military recruitment center as Delsin stayed with the bandits, letting the cart go on ahead.

He waited for a few minutes before a cute girl with a strange small dog being dragged behind her ran over. "You're the guy with the bandits, right?!"

"Yeah. These guys attacked the men who offered me a ride into town. Two bandits were killed in the attack, the rest are here." He looked at her then down at the dog. "Uh… I don't think it's a good thing to be dragging your dog like that. You could choke it."

"Koro's fine! Aren't you Koro?" The dog, Koro, barked in agreement and panted as the girl hugged it.

"Right… Well, if there's a reward for these guys I'll take it, if not then just consider this a favor."

"What's your name?"

"My name?"

"Of course! I need your name so I can file my report for someone who brought evildoers like these despicable cretins to Justice!" Delsin hesitated for a second before turning to her. "My name is… Eugene. Eugene Sims."

"Nice to meet you, Eugene! My name is Seryu Ubiquitous!"

"Nice to meet you to…" Delsin found himself put off by her cheerful demeanor, something felt off to him. "So… reward…?"

"Wait right here! I'll see if there is anything!" While Delsin waited for her to return, he decided to check what he had on him. Several cans of spray paint, a key ring, his chain and his brother's badge. Pulling out the badge, Delsin smiled sadly.

"I wonder what you'd say if you saw this place."

"It's not much of one," said Seryu as she walked back. "Only the leader had a small bounty on his head!" She spotted the badge in his hand. "What's that?"

"Hm? Oh. It was my brother's badge. He was a police officer back home." He gripped the badge tightly before putting it back in his pocket. "He died saving me from a mad woman that attacked my village far away from here. I carry the badge to remember him."

"I'm sorry about what happened to him. I hope she faced true Justice!"

"She did. Bitch is rotting in a cell right now, paying for every crime she committed."

"She's still alive?!"

"Yeah. Reggie always told me no good ever came from killing and calling it Justice, God's Work. Or some other reason. Life is precious and to take ones life and call it Justice means that you don't truly want Justice. You're a coward who enjoys killing but knows that killing is an evil sin, no matter who is on the other end of the sword. And to mask your actions you call it Justice." He pocketed the coins she handed him and looked at her. "He never took a life unless it was in self-defense, and I've practiced the same way in honor of his memory." Delsin saw the look in her eye and sighed. "You seem conflicted."

"Oh, no! I'm fine! Have a good day, Eugene!" He watched as the girl ran off, dragging the dog behind her again.

"Hope Eugene won't mind me borrowing his name when I tell him this story." Delsin started walking through the streets and found a tavern just as his stomach growled.

"Oh good, food!" Walking by a fire, Delsin discreetly absorbed the smoke before heading into the building. Inside, he found Tatsumi sulking at a table and a busty blonde woman sitting in front of him. "Hey, Tatsumi!"

The boy looked up and turned to the entrance. "Oh, hey! Delsin!" Delsin grinned and walked over to the table his new friend was at. "Just turned in those bandits?"

"Yeah. Kinda underwhelming, actually. Just 11 silver coins."

"For three bandits?"

"For one bandit, the leader. Oh well, wasn't about the money anyways. What's your problem, man?"

"He's been complaining about how they were going to start him out as a private and then kicked him out when he demanded a position higher up in command," said the blonde across from Tatsumi. Delsin looked at him.

"Ok, why would you assume they'd hand you a position like that?"

"Because my skills would be wasted in just a privates position. I need the money for my village."

"You know," said the blonde. "I've got a friend who can get you the position you'd like." Delsin's bullshit radar went off but he decided to say nothing to see if Tatsumi would catch on.

"Seriously?!" Delsin watched him practically launch his seat a few feet away when he jumped up in excitement. _'Oh, he deserves what's coming next.'_ Delsin thought to himself.

"Yep! All I need is to give him a little incentive." Tatsumi dug into his pocket and pulled out a bag of coin, handing it to her. She dropped it between her cleavage, to Delsin's amusement, before turning to Tatsumi. "You just wait here, and I'll be back." She turned to Delsin. "what about you, Handsome?"

"Not really a military kinda guy, so I'm gonna pass." She shrugged before getting up. She winked at Tatsumi right before exiting the tavern. Delsin ordered some food and proceeded to eat as Tatsumi waited eagerly. He finished his food and paid for a drink. He was about halfway done with that before he turned to his naïve friend. "You know she's not coming back, right? You got played."

"What?! Why didn't you say anything?!"

"Because I knew it would be funny." Delsin laughed as Tatsumi glared at him. They left the tavern with Tatsumi still glaring at him.

"Why did you wait so long before saying anything?!"

"Because I hoped you'd be a little less trusting and a little more intelligent, my naïve friend!"

"You're a dick."

"So I've been told." Delsin looked up as it started raining. "Oh, man! Come on!" He pulled off his beanie and glared at the sky. "Eat a dick, Karma!" Tatsumi laughed as he ringed out the hat and stuffed it into his jacket. "I don't know what you're laughing at." He dangled his bag of coins in front of Tatsumi's face. "I've still got my money. Where's yours?" Delsin moved it away and stuffed it back in his jacket when Tatsumi tried taking a swipe at it. Tatsumi was about to yell when a carriage pulled up. Delsin watched as a cute girl opened the carriage door.

"Oh no! Are you two ok?!" Delsin looked at her. "You're both soaking wet! Come in! I'll bring you to my home!" Delsin heard the sweetness in her voice and cautiously agreed, hoping Tatsumi had the same reluctance he felt. Delsin said nothing the entire ride to her mansion while Tatsumi did all the talking. _'I don't know if it's something to do with Cole's power, but something doesn't feel right about this. She seems a bit too nice. Then again, considering everything I've seen and heard about this place and it's higher class, it's a tossup on whether her kindness is genuine or a front.'_ Delsin Rowe looked around as he climbed out of the carriage. His eyes spotted a shed around the side of the mansion and his gut told him something bad was in there. _'Really hope I'm wrong about this.'_

* * *

**(Author's Notes)**

**I was noticing there is a severe lack of crossovers for these stories. Figured I'd give this story a shot. Give me your opinions on this so far and what your thoughts about which direction I should take this in. Also, if Fetch and/or Eugene should somehow find themselves in this world as well. This story won't be updated as frequently as my two main stories, nor will it sit in my profile until I can find a good idea for it like the other stories. Hope you enjoy the story and stick around for what's to come. Also, let me know about Delsin, somehow with or without Fetch, gets a harem. Wouldn't be Akame Ga Kill without one. As always, until next time, y'all!**


	2. Kill The Assassins

As Tatsumi left to go on a shopping trip with Aria, the girl who took them from the rain and to her luxurious mansion, Delsin managed to lose his escort by claiming to need to use the restroom and Smoke Dashed out of the window. "Ah, what would I do without smoke?" He said to himself. Staying out of sight of guard patrols, Delsin made his way to the shack he saw as he and Tatsumi were brought to the mansion. "Ok, what are you hiding?" Smoke Dashing inside, Delsin stopped short and covered his nose at the smell that he couldn't notice outside. "Holy crap…" Delsin looked around as he saw body after body, desiccated and rotting. "These people are sick…"

"Hello," called a weak voice. Delsin looked around and saw a girl stripped naked and hanging from a hook, bruised and cut up staring at him. "H-help m-me…"

"Hold on," said Delsin as he Smoke Dashed under her and quietly moved a table to boost him up higher. He got her off the hook and carried her down to the ground, gently. "Stay with me. I'm going to help you, alright." The girl nodded weakly, breathing uneasily. Delsin used his smoke to transfer energy into her body to heal her slowly. He saw her wounds seal up and some of the bruising go away. "God, I'm so not used to long heals."

She looked at a cage nearby and reached out to it. "I-Ieyasu…" Recognizing the name, Delsin turned to where she was looking and saw a boy barely breathing inside. Delsin took off his jacket and laid it under her head for comfort. He went to the cage and was getting ready to use his smoke to rip off the door but stopped when he heard talking outside.

"So, how long do you think they'll keep these two alive," asked a guard.

"Depends," replied another. "Aria still has those last two alive in the shack."

"I can't believe we're just letting those people do this."

"What can you do? We just get paid to protect them, not to do anything else, let alone ask questions or get in their way."

"This just feels wrong."

"Just keep your mouth shut about it. As long as we're getting paid, we can't afford to second guess our employers."

"What about those Night Raid guys? Haven't they been killing rich families?"

"Would you relax? They've been killing the more corrupt families. And as far as they know, the Braun family is full of good natured, law abiding citizens."

"And if you're wrong and they know more than you think?"

"Then we'll take care of them and get a bonus. Honestly, how tough can these Night Raid assholes be?"

"You know that kind of thinking is going to get you killed first right?"

"Ah, shut up. Hey, do you know what the cook is making for dinner tonight?"

"I don't know, maybe something…" Delsin kept listening until he heard their conversation trail off. Before ripping off the cage door and going to the boy.

"B-be careful," said the girl. "They injected him with something. A virus of some kind." Delsin looked at her before looking back at Ieyasu.

"Dammit. My powers won't help him." He turned to her. "I'm sorry." Delsin saw tears start to form in her eyes at the loss of her friend. "Sayo. When did you two get here?"

"H-how do you know my name? Did you find Tatsumi?"

"Yeah. We came to the Capitol together. Right now he's in the city with Aria."

"We have to get him away from her…" She tried sitting up.

"He'll be fine," he said as he gently kept her on the ground. "She won't do anything in broad daylight. Not if she's smart. And you're in no condition to move. I have to heal you again, but it'll have to wait until I get back. The guards I ditched will notice if I'm in the bathroom for too long. I have to get back." Delsin grabbed some clean rags nearby and replaced his jacket with them. He moved her to a corner out of sight of the entrance and found something to cover her with. "I'll be back tonight. I promise." She nodded weakly before closing her eyes, falling asleep. Delsin Smoke Dashed out of the shack and made his way back to the restroom.

He flushed the toilet and groaned as he left the room. "You ok," asked one of the guards. "You were in there for a long time."

"Must've ate some bad fruit earlier. I'll feel better after I rest."

"Alright. We'll help you back to your room." Delsin warily followed the guards, unsure whether or not they'd lead him to an ambush. When they got to his room, he sat on his bed and sighed, knowing he'd have to wait for night to sneak out of his room. He looked out of his window and saw at least seven guards in sight at the front of the gate.

"Dammit… She needs help and I can't get to her right now." He pulled out his brother's badge and looked at it. "Bro, I wish you were here. What would you do?" He chuckled softly. "You'd probably try and report this to the police. Too bad most of them are probably on the take for at least on of these rich families, this one included. And that Seryu chick seemed a bit off her rocker to be of any real help." He looked at the guards again and remembered what the two guards outside the shack were talking about. "Night Raid, huh? With any luck, maybe they'll attack the mansion tonight and give me an opening to get to Sayo. One can only hope."

Delsin excused himself from going to dinner, claiming his stomach was upsetting him and he was going to get some sleep. Tatsumi nodded and followed Aria to dinner. Delsin snuck a peak out his door and saw no guards. Smoke Dashing out and sneaking his way back to the shack, Delsin made his way inside and found Sayo kneeling next to Ieyasu's body. "He stopped breathing a few minutes ago…" said Sayo.

"I'm sorry," said Delsin. "I wish I could've done something."

"It's not your fault. It's that bitches fault. I'm gonna make her pay for this."

"Not right now, you're not. I need to heal you some more. There's probably still some internal damage that I can't see. Good thing for you, my powers allow me to heal internally as well, it just takes time." He went over to her and sent his energy to her again. She blushed and moved the rags over her breasts when Delsin got close to her. "Sorry. Guess I forgot you didn't have any clothes on."

"Just… don't look."

"Good thing I don't need to look to do this." He placed his hand on her back, once more sending his energy into her to heal her.

"How are you doing this?"

"My smoke has special abilities. One of them allows me to send smoke into your cells, sending some of my quick healing abilities to you for a short time."

"What else can you do?"

"If we get attacked, I'll show you."

"Here's hoping that won't happen. I don't have a weapon."

"Then just hide and I'll take care of them, Tatsumi too when he sees what's been happening." Before Sayo could respond, the sound of gunfire outside caught their attention. They heard guards scrambling to the front gate and shouting about intruders. There was one mention of Night Raid and Delsin looked at the door. _'I gotta start talking out loud more often. Maybe God will give me a new power.'_ A few minutes later, Delsin heard talking outside and heard Tatsumi and Aria's voices. He then heard a clash of blades and another voice he didn't recognize. He opened the door when someone mentioned to Tatsumi to check the shack. "Tatsumi, get away from that bitch." Tatsumi turned around and saw Delsin who noticed the girl from the tavern, only she seemed more beast-like than before. He also noticed a girl with long black hair and scarlet eyes.

"Delsin? What are you?..." he noticed who was hiding her body behind rags behind his legs. "Sayo?!" Aria's breath hitched and she unconsciously took a step back from Tatsumi.

"She tortured us, Tatsumi," said Sayo, glaring at the sadistic girl. "Her and her parents are monsters! They injected Ieyasu with some virus! He passed away from it and his wounds just a few minutes ago!" Tatsumi looked next to her and saw his other childhood friend's body. He took a step to the shack, eyes filled with disbelief. Delsin moved passed him and Smoke Dashed in front of Aria when she tried to run away.

"Unh uh. You're not going anywhere." Delsin whipped out his chain and hit her away from him. She landed on the ground and glared at him.

"Lady Aria," shouted a guard. Delsin turned around and saw several guards with assault rifles aimed at him. He counted 13 of them and glared. "Get away from her, bastard!"

"No. You got one chance, drop your weapons now, and I'll go easy on you."

"Your funeral then."

"Move," said the girl Tatsumi was talking to and fighting before Delsin opened the door to the shack.

"I got this." Delsin moved to a burning torch and absorbed the smoke before lobbing a Smoke Bomb at the guards. It exploded and the guards started coughing from the smoke. He hit six of them with rapid head shots, instantly knocking them out and restraining them before leaping into the air with a stream of smoke behind him. He shot himself down to them and landed with an explosion of smoke, restraining all of the remaining guards to the ground.

"How the hell did you do that," asked Tatsumi.

"Trade secret." He walked over to Aria who backed away from him after seeing what he did to her guards. Delsin dragged her to her feet and grabbed the side of her head. "Let me give you a little taste of hell, bitch." Delsin flooded her head with smoke and she disintegrated right in front of everyone's eyes. Delsin felt sick about what he just did and clenched his fists. "Dammit…"

"What the hell did you do," asked the blonde.

"Killed her. What does it look like?" Delsin unclenched his fists before making his way to Sayo who was in awe at what he just did. "Are you ok?" She nodded and he helped her to her feet. He wrapped his jacket around her shoulders and turned to the Night Raid members, seeing the black haired one stabbing one of the restrained guards with her katana. "Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing?!"

"Killing them," she said, staring at him blankly.

"Yeah, I can see that. Why are you killing them is my question. They're down!"

"They saw us. And they allowed the Braun's to do what they did. They need to be eliminated."

"There's no need to kill them." He saw her about to stab another and sent a massive blast of smoke at her, knocking the katana out of her grip. "Don't even think about it, Girlie. You want to kill them, you gotta get through me."

"Fine then." She moved quickly and grabbed her katana before charging at him. Delsin batted her blade away with his chain and knocked her back with another blast of smoke.

"Alright, since you seem dead set on killing me. Guess I better not hold back." Delsin lobbed a couple of Smoke Bombs, knowing the girl in front of her would just evade them. Sure enough, she charged him again, already aware of the Smoke Bomb and to avoid it. "Bad move," muttered Delsin to himself. He Smoke Dashed towards her and swung his chain, wrapping it around the blade before wrenching it from her hand. He caught the weapon, nicking his hand on the blade as he sent a Cinder Missile at the ground between them, knocking her into the air and away from him. He tossed the blade to the ground and felt something coursing through his system.

"And now you're dead," said the girl. Delsin looked at his head and saw black symbols slowly starting to make their way up his arm. He Smoke Dashed to another torch and absorbed more smoke to accelerate his healing. Soon, the symbols resided, and his cut sealed up.

"What kind of poison does that? That was weird. I mean, no weirder than anything else in my life, but still…" Delsin examined his arm before turning to the two young women from Night Raid. "So, we going again? Or are you going to back off?" Delsin's question was answered as a blast of energy shot at the downed guards, wiping them out completely. Delsin turned around. "No, no, no!" He heard something land next to him and Smoke Dashed away as a fist came at his stomach to incapacitate him. Soon, several people surrounded him and the person who swung at him became visible. Delsin looked at each of them as they back him to the wall of the manor. He glanced over at the shack as Tatsumi was helping Sayo out of it. "You two, run!" Delsin lobbed a Smoke Bomb at Night Raid and started free climbing the building as the women from before jumped away from it while the rest were caught in the blast.

Tatsumi and Sayo tried running only to be caught by the blonde woman while the armored member of Night Raid jumped up to catch Delsin as he climbed. Delsin saw him coming and jumped off, turning on his Smoke Thrusters to hover over to Tatsumi and Sayo. Delsin heard a growl and the click of a gun. He pushed them to the ground as another blast of energy barely missed him and blasted apart the top of the mansion. He lobbed another

"I can't move," said Tatsumi.

"That's cause we've got some kind of wire around our legs!" Using his keen eyesight from hunting down hidden DUP cameras, Delsin tracked the wire to the green haired boy advancing on them. Delsin Smoke Dashed his way to the one who has them trapped. Delsin swung his chain and knocked the boy out. Tatsumi felt his legs moving again and turned to Delsin.

"Come on!" They got to the front gate of the mansion grounds and saw a girl running over. "There's the gate!"

"Listen, we've got…" Delsin didn't finish his sentence as a leg connected with his head, knocking him out. Tatsumi and Sayo turned around only to be knocked out as well as the armored Night Raid member turned visible. He picked up Tatsumi and Sayo while the blonde woman picked up Delsin.

"Holy crap," said Leone as she hefted Delsin. "This guy's good!"

"Tell me about it," said Bulat as he turned to his friend and companion. "I've never seen anyone do what he can do."

"Did we get him," asked Lubbock as he walked over, rubbing his head where the chain hit him.

"Yep," smiled Leone as she pat the man on her right shoulder.

"Who is he" asked Sheele as she and Akame walked over, Mine right behind them.

"Some guy I met in a tavern. His buddy, the guy Bulat is carrying had just been conned out of all of his money after he got kicked out of the Military recruitment office."

"Let me guess," said Mine. "You conned him out of his money."

"What makes you say that, Mine?"

"The fact that we know you," said Lubbock. "Anyway, what are we going to do about them?" He nodded to the three people on his friends' shoulders.

"Simple, we take them back to base."

"We should kill them," said Akame. "They've seen our faces."

"Are you kidding? Did you see what the smoker guy did?! He pretty much had us outmatched for the longest time! Not to mention how he survived Murasame!" Akame looked at her sword, remembering him absorbing smoke and surviving her swords fast acting poison.

"Wait," said Mine. "He did what?!"

"We'll explain more at the base! Come on! We need to get out of here!" Night Raid, along with their four captives, disappeared.

* * *

When Delsin woke up the next morning, he gripped his head and groaned. "Ok, that invisible guy hits like a truck…" He noticed he was in a bed and looked around. "What the hell? They didn't even put me in a cell?" Delsin looked around the room and found his jacket and beanie on a bedside table. He checked its pockets and found everything still in them. Putting his jacket back on, the blue and white eagle prominent on the back, Delsin looked around the room and saw a stack of papers on a desk. "Might as well give you a try."

Delsin went to the desk and picked up a slip of paper. "Ok… how do I?... Whoa!" Delsin absorbed the paper in his hand and felt his power shift. "Ok… not what I'm used to, but easy to remember." Delsin looked at the door and sighed. "Now for the weird part." Delsin flattened himself and slipped under the door. He returned back to his original depth and groaned. "Definitely weird! How the hell did Celia not feel creeped after doing that? Well, because Augustine pretty much fucked with her mind too much, obviously." Delsin checked the rooms next to him and found two rooms that looked like people just woke up. He walked in silence as they navigated the halls of Night Raid's base. Soon, he found a large room and saw Sayo and Tatsumi sitting in a couple of chairs in front of Night Raid.

"Ah," said a woman with white hair and a mechanical arm. "Our other guest has woken up."

Tatsumi and Sayo turned around. "Delsin," shouted Tatsumi.

He nodded to Tatsumi before sitting down between him and Sayo. Delsin turned to Sayo. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. There's still some aches, but those will go away."

"Tatsumi? What about you?"

"Just a little shaken up about what you did to Aria. I've never seen that before."

"It's not something I like to do. My powers can easily kill someone, which means I've had to learn restraint. The first time I killed someone outside of self-defense, it was by accident and it left a bad taste in my mouth."

"Then what I have to ask you is going to be difficult for you," said the woman. "My name is Najenda. I'm a general in the Revolutionary Army and leader of Night Raid. I want you to join us."

"That's gonna be a hard no. I've made it a rule not to kill anyone."

"Didn't stop you last night with that girl," said the blonde woman. Sayo turned to him and saw him clench his fists.

"Don't remind me. After seeing everything that family had done, how sick and twisted they were, I got angry. I acted without thinking and obliterated her." Delsin pulled off his beanie and wrung it in his hands.

Sayo put a hand on his shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. Delsin sighed and looked at Najenda. "I'm not going to become a member of Night Raid. From what I've heard, you're assassins. I'm not going to use my powers to kill people. No matter how corrupt or evil they might be."

"Right now, you have two choices. You can either put yourself to good use and join Night Raid, helping the Revolutionary Army, or we can kill you. You do after all know the faces of our members who haven't been discovered yet, and that makes you a danger to our operation."

"Or, I could pick a third option and fight my way out of here. Get my friends and go."

"We're well aware of your smoke abilities. We know how to fight you." Tatsumi turned to Delsin to ask about that but stopped, deciding that now wasn't the time. And he was right as Delsin shot a piece of paper from his hands and cut a line across a shocked Najenda's face.

"Keep telling yourself that."

"Was that paper," asked Tatsumi. Najenda turned around and saw it cut through her chair and embedded into the wall behind her. Delsin saw the green haired guy he knocked out last night growl and grab the wires in his gauntlet. Delsin flared his arms and it seemed like they were shedding small pages that seemed to disappear before their very eyes.

"You know that wire trick won't work on me, right?"

"Nobody hurts Najenda, you bastard."

"Enough, Lubbock," said Najenda. "It seems he was just making a point. We don't know exactly what he can do. From your reports, he commands smoke in unusual ways, but we just saw him use paper as a projectile. We don't know the full extent of his abilities, and he was giving a demonstration that we clearly do no know how to combat him properly. Which is another reason why we want you to join Night Raid. If the Empire ever gets ahold of your ability, it could mean a lot of trouble for the Revolutionary Army, and a lot of good men and women would be killed as a result."

"They won't succeed in replicating my abilities," said Delsin. "Mainly cause they're borrowed from other people."

"What do you mean?"

"It's a long story. And I don't have the time to tell you any of it. I need to find a way home."

"Where is your home, Delsin?"

"A long ways from here. Can I go? It's clear I won't join you guys and if we fight, you'll probably be down a few assassins for a few days while I can get away without a scratch."

"But your friends won't."

"What are you implying?"

"Well, odds are they'd try leaving with you. Sayo is still slightly injured, Tatsumi is likely to be killed saving her since not everyone has abilities to rival an Imperial Arm."

"Imperial Arm," asked Delsin.

"You must be from a very far away place to not have heard of Imperial Arms." Najenda lit a cigarette and looked at him. "Imperial Arms were created by the First Emperor a very long time ago. Since his death, many of them have been either lost or destroyed. Every member of Night Raid carries an Imperial Arm. In fact, you managed to survive contact with one of the deadliest Imperial Arms. Akame's katana, Murasame." The scarlet eyed assassin glared at him from her spot by a doorway.

"Deadliest? How deadly are we talking?"

"Just a single nick can send a poison into the person's bloodstream and kill them instantly. The poison is always changing so there is no way to cure its effects. At least until you managed to survive, that is."

"That may be explained by my powers. Rapid cellular regeneration."

"Say what," asked Lubbock.

"Super-fast healing, in other words."

"Doesn't prove a thing. Leone has fast healing and she couldn't survive getting cut by that thing."

"And Leone is?..."

"Right here, cutie," said the blonde girl with a grin.

"Oh. The scam artist. Should've figured."

"Leone's Imperial Arm, Beast King: Lionel, allows her to take on beast-like attributes similar to the Danger Beast it was created from. Increased strength, speed, endurance and healing. But it's not without its faults. If she takes too much damage, she can't heal properly and will die. For example, getting riddled with bullets."

"How many?"

"What?"

"How many bullets is too much?"

"Uh," said Leone. "Kinda not willing to find out."

"Well, I've been gunned down several times and came right back swinging at whoever was dumb enough to try." He pulled out a sheet of paper. "I asked my buddy, Eugene, to keep count and he managed to count about…" he read the paper. "321 bullets before I needed to retreat and heal up."

"I think it's safe to say I wouldn't survive that many."

"Well, I did. My healing is faster than yours, even faster when I recharge. Only takes about seven seconds normally without recharging, three with."

"You just stood there counting how many bullets you could take," asked the pink haired girl.

"Yeah, probably not one of my best ideas, but what can you do? It's not like I had anything better to do at the time."

"That's just plain stupid."

"No, stupid is collapsing a platform out in the middle of the ocean without a way out and no powers that work well with water. That was stupid."

"Why did you do that," asked Sayo.

"Augustine. She was the one I told you about yesterday. The one that…" Sayo pat his back, seeing that this was a difficult topic.

"The one that what," asked Tatsumi. Delsin sighed and told them about his conflict with the DUP, leaving out Conduit's, Seattle and the fact that he was from another world. Now wasn't the time for that. Everyone looked at him with mixed reactions at his story. He looked Najenda in the eye.

"Please understand why I can't join Night Raid. Becoming an assassin would be the ultimate insult to his memory."

"Then don't join as an assassin," said Najenda. "Join as a hero. Save lives, cause distractions away from our assassination missions. Keep your brothers memories alive by acting like he did, protecting people while we kill the corrupt who would see a return to the status quo after we beat the Empire."

"Before I even consider that, can you tell your invisible muscle behind us to stand down," asked Delsin, startling the members of Night Raid. "You can come out, Big Guy! I spotted you the second we walked into the room." The armored member of Night Raid became visible where he was standing by the door.

"How the hell did you spot me?"

"I've gotten some tricks on how to spot invisible enemies. Eugene was able to go invisible and I managed to track him down when training. Learned how to pick out camouflaged enemies by the slight distortion of light." _'Can't tell them that's how Eugene keeps finding me. Can't exactly turn invisible without any video screens present.'_

"You're combative and observational skills are impressive, to say the least," said the armored man. He removed his helmet revealing his pompadour styled hairdo. Delsin held back a laugh at the man's hair and cleared his throat.

"Well, when your fighting a paramilitary government faction, you learn certain skills to stay ahead."

"Yet another reason why you'd be able to help us. Your experience in this kind of thing will go a long way," said Najenda. Delsin got up and walked to a window overlooking the forest surrounding the base. He turned to Najenda.

"I won't kill anyone unless it's in self-defense, got it?"

"Of course. But if there's a situation our regular assassin's can't handle normally, I want you to extract them if things get hairy. If you get attacked while doing so…"

"I know, I know. It technically counts as self-defense. Don't make a habit out of manipulating my own words. I can be pretty vindictive."

"Of course, you two will join as well," she said, turning to Sayo and Tatsumi.

"Can't you just let us go back to our village," asked Tatsumi.

"No," said Akame. "You've seen our faces, and there's a chance you could lead the Empire to our base. It's either you join, or we kill you."

"You mean you'll try," said Delsin, flaring his pages again as she showed Tatsumi the steel of her blade.

"Enough," said Najenda. "Akame, stand down. We don't need a fight in our own base." She turned to Delsin. "Please calm down. No harm will come to them, you have my word." Delsin stopped his flaring and nodded. He turned to Tatsumi.

"Dude, you're kinda limited on options here. Either you stay, help alter the government for the better, hopefully, and send revenue to your village for your part, live or die, or you can go back home, find another way to help your village and hope the Empire doesn't come to take everything from you."

"That's not much of a choice," said Sayo.

"Yeah, well that's life. Deal with it." Tatsumi and Sayo took a couple of minutes before deciding. They turned to each other and nodded.

"Alright," said Tatsumi. "We'll help you and join Night Raid. But we need you to send money to our village when this is over. Whether we live or die, that money needs to go to our village."

"I'll talk with my superiors and see what we can do about that. As for you, Delsin. You mentioned finding a way home. I'll see what I can do about that as well. We'll get a ship for you and allow you to find your way back home."

"Yeah… a ship is not going to cut it."

"What do you mean," asked Leone.

"Well… this is going to take some explaining."

"Tell us then," said Najenda. "We're allies now, there should be no secrets among us."

"Right… so…"

* * *

As Delsin explained to Night Raid about his world, Conduits, the Rift and his predicament, back in Seattle, Fetch and Eugene were at the DUP platform staring at the small slit that did something to their friend.

"Come on, Geek! You've gotta know something about it," shouted Fetch.

"My only experience with shit like this is with movies and video games. I'm not going to be much help. I'm not a fucking expert, ok?!" Fetch sighed and leaned against a pillar on the platform.

"I'm sorry, ok? When D checked this thing out, he just up and disappeared. He can't be gone. He's the symbol of hope to this city and to Conduits all over the world." Delsin idly noticed her hand go to her stomach and he turned to the rift.

"We could try going in after him."

"Do you think we'd end up in the same place?"

"There's no telling. Again, not an expert." The sound of a helicopter caught their attention and they looked up to see one landing on a platform nearby. They noticed the DUP logo and got ready for a fight, starting up their video and neon powers. One of the doors opened and a bridge made of glass started forming between the two platforms. A woman, escorted by two DUP Knights with different colors than normal. Instead of the black white and yellow coloring, they wore white, blue, and grey colors and had assault rifles slung across their back.

"Eugene Sims," she asked. "Abigail 'Fetch' Walker?" The two conduits looked between each other and turned back to the woman.

"Who wants to know," asked Fetch.

"My name is Samantha Evans. I'm the new head of the DUP. We're aware of the current situation regarding Delsin Rowe and this rift. Would you please come with me to our base of operations? We have a lot to discuss." She turned to the Knights. "Secure this platform, please. Make sure the DUP defectors do not take control of this at all cost."

"Yes ma'am," said one of the Knights. He made a gesture and two more Knights, and a Rook stepped up the ramp to join the other two Knights.

"Please follow me. When we get to the base of operations, we'll discuss this rift and its origin."

"Forgive us if we can't trust you right off the bat," said Fetch. "We don't exactly have good experience with the DUP."

"Understandable, given my predecessor's actions. How about this?" She nodded to one of the Knights and he proceeded to handcuff the Glass Conduit. She turned to them and they noticed that they themselves weren't being cuffed and dragged to the helicopter. Evans turned to them. My subordinates have orders not to do anything other than escort us to the briefing room at our headquarters and remove these handcuffs upon our revival. You have my word." Fetch and Eugene shared another look before hesitantly following her into the helicopter.

They flew to a site outside of Seattle and landed in the middle of a bunch of tents and mobile command centers. Scientists and DUP Pawns and Knights were walking around. A Pawn walked over and removed the handcuffs from the director. She rubbed her wrists and turned to the two Conduits. "Come with me, please." They followed her to one of the Mobile Command Centers and were greeted by a man in a lab coat. "This is Alexander Kirsch. He is the Department of Unified Protection's head researcher and Conduit energy specialist." He shook hands with both of them.

"A pleasure to meet both of you. Especially you, He Who Dwells."

"You know my gamer tag?"

"Yeah. You actually saved avatar when I was first started playing Heaven's Hellfire."

"Oh wow. Small world."

"Hey, Geeks," said Fetch. "Can we get down to business about the rift, please?"

"Right. Sorry. Before that, we need to bring in someone else who can help explain what's going on." He pressed a button on a radio he had with him. "Send in Mr. Dunbar, please." A minute later a heavyset man wearing a yellowish jacket and sunglasses. Eugene looked at him and gaped.

"Holy crap…"

"You know this guy, Eugene," asked Fetch.

"This is Zeke Dunbar! He was with Cole MacGrath at Empire City and New Marais!"

"Nice to see being Cole's best friend gets me recognized now," said Zeke with a smile.

"Ok, but how is the guy who helped save the world gonna help tell us about the rift."

"Because I know what caused it."

"Ok, I'll bite. What caused it."

"That's gonna take a bit of an explanation, so I'll start at the beginning. Y'all know the explosion that decimated Empire City a few years back?"

"There's not a person alive who doesn't," said Eugene. "It's when Cole was blamed, and his powers were first revealed to the world."

"The man who created the device that caused the explosion and created Conduits, Kessler was Cole."

"What," asked Fetch.

"Well. Not our Cole. More like a Cole from the future of an alternate timeline who came here to give humanity a fighting chance against the Uber Conduit called the Beast. The thing that went on a rampage on the east coast."

"I feel like you're going to need to explain these things a bit better," said Eugene.

"Right. I've known this for years and it still confuses me to no end. Alright. Let me start with what Cole told me after his fight with Kessler in Empire City…"

* * *

**(Author's Notes)**

**Uploaded a few days before I originally intended, but there shouldn't be complaints from an early update. I've decided on how things will progress from here. Considering we didn't get to spend too much time with Fetch and Eugene in game, I'm going to be giving them a B story before I decide whether or not they come to the Empire to help Delsin take on threats like the Jaegers and Esdeath. I also need you guys to help decide something for me. Delsin will acquire an Imperial Arm. (And I know I'm using the English name instead of the Japanese name. It's mainly because it wouldn't make sense for Delsin to come to a world where they speak primarily Japanese. And yes, I know most of the names are Japanese, just bare with me.) What I need is to decide what Imperial Arm he is going to get. One of the cannon Imperial Arms or make up one that could, possibly, give Delsin his full range of powers again. The choice is yours. If I can get a poll up, you can reply there. If I can't then just list your idea in the reviews. Until next time, Y'all!**


	3. Kill The Lies

Delsin knelt beside Tatsumi and Sayo as they said a silent prayer for Ieyasu. He felt a presence behind him and Smoke Dashed to the side and to his feet. Leone fell to the ground after finding herself without any leverage to keep herself up, Delsin having moved away.

"Ow! Hey!"

"Don't try and sneak up on me," said Delsin. "I have a thing about that."

"Spoil sport…" Leone shot straight up and looked at the trio. "So. Now that the three of you have officially joined, why don't I introduce you to the rest of the team?"

"I think that's a good idea," said Sayo.

"Lead the way then, Lioness." Leone smirked with a small blush and started heading toward the base. Delsin looked up and saw Akame staring down at them from a window. She held his gaze for a second before going inside. Leone led them to what appeared to be a dining hall where the girl with purple hair was reading.

"This is where we eat. And this is Shelle." She turned to them.

"Hello. It's good you guys decided to join us. Because you knew of our base, we'd have to kill you."

"You mean try to kill me. I'm pretty sure you'd fail, and I'd get away without a scratch."

"I don't doubt it," she smiled kindly at him. Delsin grinned back. He noticed the book she was reading. "'Mend Your Airheaded Ways'?"

"Oh. Shelle's just trying to make sure she doesn't mess things up outside of a job" said Leone as she stifled a laugh and held her sides. "This one time, we sent her to get groceries and she ended up buying several bags of salt!" Delsin flicked her head when she started laughing and turned to Shelle.

"Does she do this often?"

"Oh, I don't mind. I know they're jokes made in good fun."

"Well, if it gets out of hand, just let me know. I'll smoke it out of her system."

"I can't believe you guys let them join," shouted a voice behind Delsin. He turned around and saw the pink haired girl from before. "Did no one think to ask for _my _opinion?!" She looked each of them up and down, ending with Tatsumi. "Other than the weird smoke guy, it's clear these guys aren't cut from the same professional cloth as us!" She grinned and glanced at Tatsumi. "I mean just look at you…"

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!"

"Aw, don't let it get to you," said Leone as Tatsumi and Sayo glared at the pinkette. "That's Mine's way of saying 'hello'!"

"Hmph," grunted Mine as Delsin shook his head. _'And I'm the weird one?'_

"Come on, we still have the entire compound to explore." Tatsumi and Sayo followed her and Delsin hung back a bit, a grin on his face.

"And what are you smiling about," asked Mine.

"This." Delsin shot a paper spear at her, catching the collar of her shirt and suspending her in the air a couple feet off the ground as she was pinned to the wall.

"Hey!"

"Hang in there, Pinky! I'll be back to get you down."

"You bastard! Get me down, right now!" He followed after Leone as she led them to a courtyard.

"This is our training area, where we go to blow off some steam. Speaking of which, looks like someone is already trying to work up a sweat." Delsin watched as the man with the armor swung around a practice spear with speed and force unlike anything he'd seen before. "That's Bulat."

"Oh, hey guys! Nice to meet ya." He shook hands with Tatsumi.

"And yes," said Leone. "He's gay." Tatsumi cringed slightly and took an instinctive step back, making Delsin shake his head and Bulat to chuckle.

"Now don't give him the wrong idea… yet…" _'And there goes the creepy alarm,'_ thought Delsin. Delsin looked around the training area and found a discarded metal shield. He picked it up and decided to do something Eugene suggested a while back. Much like he did with his chain, Delsin sent a small amount of his energy into the shield and watched as it was covered with paper. He threw the shield at a dummy, much like Captain America, and watched as a flurry of paper covered the dummy, cutting it open in several places.

"Ok… maybe paper isn't the best power for that trick." He Paper Dashed on the wind and made it to the shield, picking it up before he turned to a nearby torch and looked at Bulat. "You mind lighting this big guy? Contrary to popular opinion, I don't smoke."

"You get how ironic that statement is, right," asked Sayo.

"Now that you point it out, yes I do." Bulat chuckled and lit the torch. Delsin absorbed the smoke and grabbed the shield again. Trying again, this time with smoke instead of paper, Delsin throw the shield at another dummy and watched as it was enveloped with smoke. He grinned and Smoke Dashed to it, grabbing the shield before swinging his chain at it. He grinned. "Looks like I got myself a new one two combo."

"That doesn't seem more effective than that smoke bomb you hit us with last night," said Bulat. "That affected multiple people, this only affects one."

"Yeah, but this allows me to have a secondary item to defend myself with and use as a second weapon. Back home, I found myself in need of a shield multiple times when I was out in the open. Sure, I could dash away if things got too hot, but having a good defensive strategy is always good."

"Nice thinking! You can go ahead and keep that shield, Delsin!"

"Thanks, man. But, it's gonna need a few personal touches." Delsin set the shield down and pulled out a couple cans of spray paint.

"What's that," asked Leone. Delsin grinned and grabbed a piece of cloth that was discarded nearby. He managed to rip out a design in it and shook a can before spraying the cloth on the shield. He switched between paint cans and pulled the cloth away when he was done. Leone looked and saw the same bird symbol that was on the back of his jacket.

"Spray paint. It's something I do."

"What does the bird mean?"

"Freedom. After a while in Seattle, I switched out my jacket. When I first got there, my design was a two headed bird. It was a design inspired by an Akomish legend about the two sides of ones soul. Then, as I kept helping people… I don't know, I kept changing the jacket. The original design had one blue head and one red. Over time, I swapped my jackets a number of times to show the blow eagle overcoming the red until it stood tall and proud on its own. This was just before my fight with Augustine, and it became the whole reason for fighting the DUP and other anti-Conduit parties. Freedom."

"Nice sentiment," said Bulat.

"Thanks." Delsin made sure the paint had dried before picking up the shield and slinging it onto his back, showing the blue and white eagle with pride.

"Do you want another weapon besides that chain?"

"Nah. When my powers awakened, this was my first weapon. It helped me a lot back in Seattle. Getting rid of it now just seems… wrong."

"Spoken like a real warrior."

"Guess you could say that."

"Come on, Delsin," said Leone. "We're burning daylight!"

"Coming." Delsin followed her with Tatsumi and Sayo in tow. She showed them the rest of the compound before leading them to the surrounding area.

"Next, I'm gonna show you the hot springs! I like to go here to relax! In fact I was originally going to take a soak right now, but I'm showing you around!" Delsin heard giggling and looked over to an overlook of the springs. He tapped Tatsumi's shoulder and pointed to where he was looking. They saw a patch of bright green hair hiding between bushes. He cleared his throat.

"Uh… Leone? Is that a common sight?" He pointed to the bushes and Leone growled.

"Unfortunately…" She stalked up behind Lubbock as he giggled to himself.

"Leone usually takes a bath at this time. Man, I'd give anything to see that smokin' hot bod!"

"In that case. How about two fingers?" Delsin chuckled as Lubbock screamed. Leone bent his arm at an impossible angle. "Be lucky I don't break your arm." She turned to the others as she twisted his hand some more. "I'm sure you guys remember Lubbock. As you can see, he's an idiot."

"And a major one at that," said Delsin. He knelt next to the green haired man and shook his head. "Rule of thumb, try not making any noise if you're trying to spy on someone."

"Duly noted," said Lubbock in pain. Leone kicked him in the groin, knocking him into the springs below him.

"Ooh, that's gotta hurt."

"He deserved it," said Leone.

"No arguments here," said Sayo.

"Ruthless," said Delsin. "Already got the mindset for an assassin." Sayo glanced at him before turning away. Leone led them down the river.

"We've only got one more member to formally introduce you to."

"That'd be that Akame chick, right?"

"Cute and smart! You're definitely a keeper!"

"Too bad for you, I'm taken then." Leone pouted but kept walking. They soon came across a massive bonfire cooking a giant bird with Akame sitting next to it, eating pieces of it.

"Holy crap, that's one big bird," shouted Tatsumi.

"Akame's our resident wild child." Delsin noticed Najenda sitting not too far away, eating as well. Akame tossed Leone a piece of the bird. She tossed a piece to Tatsumi and Sayo and looked at Delsin.

"You're not an assassin, you don't get any."

"Looks bland any way." Leone walked around the bird and saw Najenda.

"Oh, hey boss!"

"Leone… Akame and Mine tell me you went three days over on your last assignment."

"…Crap!" Leone tried to run, only for Delsin to Smoke Dash and restrain her to the ground with his ability.

"Thank you Delsin."

"No problem, Boss. Needed to get her back for robbing Tatsumi."

"Too little too late, man," said Tatsumi. "She's probably already spent it all on booze."

"It's the principal of the thing, man."

"Yeah right." Delsin grinned as Akame turned to Delsin and noticed his shield.

"Why a shield?"

"Well, I don't need to be stealthy for the most part. Unlike you guys. I'm used to freeclimbing with some weight on my back, and I can adapt quickly to using it in a fight."

"Freeclimbing. That's how you scaled that wall, right," asked Tatsumi.

"Yeah man. It's a handy skill for navigation and maneuvering in new areas." He looked at the trees around them. "There's a lot of trees here. I'll give you two a crash course in how to do it later."

"Thank you," said Sayo. Delsin looked at Najenda. "I take it Tatsumi and Sayo are going to start training tomorrow?"

"They will."

"Alright then. I'm going to get some sleep. I've been doing nothing but walking and talking all day."

"You're going to be training as well, Delsin."

"Uh… no. I don't think so. I already know how to fight, defend myself, kill, in defense. There's not much more I can do to improve. Unless you've got some Blast Shards lying around to better my powers."

"Fresh out, I'm afraid. And you need to train with us. There will be times when we need to fight together if the situation calls for it. You need to learn to work with us and we need to learn to work with you. Otherwise, we can't correctly fight as a unit if an enemy proves too powerful. Especially if we have to go up against… Her."

"Ok, I could hear the capital h in that. Who are you talking about?"

"General Esdeath. The most powerful woman in the Imperial Army. She's ruthless, cold hearted, and is responsible for my current state." She gestured to her eye and mechanical arm.

"Sounds dangerous."

"She is. She may even be too much for you to handle."

"We'll see about that. Other than Cole MacGrath, I'm the most powerful Conduit in my world. I can absorb the powers of every Conduit I come across and learn how to use them fairly quickly when I do."

"With those Blast Cores and Shards."

"Right."

"Which we don't have here."

"…Right."

"And you won't have access to until you get home which you can't do until you help us."

"…So what you're saying is, I should watch what I say."

"Will that be a problem?"

"No. No. No problem at all."

"Good." Najenda stood up. "I want all three of you to get some rest. Training starts tomorrow."

"Yes ma'am," said Tatsumi and Sayo. Delsin simply grunted with a nod and Najenda walked away. Delsin groaned and looked at the sky.

"Anything else you want to throw my way?!"

"Don't tempt fate, Delsin," said Tatsumi, suddenly getting an ominous feeling.

"Ah, what's the worst that could happen?"

**(Somewhere in the Imperial Capital)**

Another rift opened in a secluded place somewhere in the Empire's territory. Not enough to let a person through, but enough for plans to land in the lap of a deranged man. Said man picked up the plans, wondering where they came from and looked up just as the portal vanished. Looking down at the plans, the man could not help but smile. "Oh my, what is this?" He looked at the plans and smiled even wider. "Oh, this could be a very delightful experiment! This 'Ray Sphere' could prove to be a very stylish experiment!" Dr. Stylish, the Empire's leading researcher and mad scientist, laughed as he hugged the plans for the Ray Sphere to himself, imagining what could happen from its activation.

**(Seattle)**

Eugene and Fetch stared at Zeke Dunbar as he worked at a terminal that was linked to a device the DUP was currently using to scan the rift. "You're not what you seem, Mr. Dunbar," said Eugene.

"Hey now. Don't go callin' me Mr. Dunbar. That's my dad. Call me Zeke."

"Well, Zeke," said Fetch. "If you were with Cole MacGrath, how did you end up working with the Dups?"

"I had made contact with a few people on the inside. We were trying for the longest time to disrupt Augustine's plans. And it was slow goin' for a while. Then your buddy Delsin showed up, and things took a sudden turn. Augustine was hellbent on capturing Delsin and recapturing you two and that Hank fella, that we almost had free reign to expose as much of the DUP's operations as possible. A friend of mine, Nick Wolfe, was the one doing the leaking, but he needed to get information to his editor, and we needed a way to get the information to a dead drop. We needed Delsin. We briefly got in touch with him and managed to get him to help."

"So that's what Delsin was doing," said Fetch. "He said he was helping some news reporter expose the DUP a while ago."

"Yeah, that was us." Zeke went over to a crate and pulled out an old computer. Eugene looked in the crate and saw what seemed like an oversized tuning fork.

"Is that?..."

"Yep. Cole's Amp. The prototype, at least. The one you saw Cole using was the improved version, and is buried with Cole back in Empire City, next to Trish."

"So, they ended up together at the end," said Fetch. She looked up at the monitors as the rift started flickering. "No, no, no!" Zeke looked at the monitors and called up the men on site.

"P-3, what's going on?"

"The rift just started acting up. We didn't do anything, I swear."

"Keep your eyes on that rift. We're on our way." He turned to the two Prime Conduits. "Let's go!" After getting Director Evans, they made their way to the platform and to the rift where the on site Pawns were trying to keep their scanners on the rift as it pulsated while the Rooks stood guard.

"What's going on," asked Samantha.

"Ma'am," said P-3. "The rift just started pulsating. We can't explain it."

"We may have another problem," said a Rook. He pointed over to the mainland with his minigun where yellow DUP APCs were rolling up. "Defectors!" Samantha turned to Eugene and Fetch.

"Help us take them down! If they get their hands on the rift, we lose the only chance at getting Mr. Rowe back!"

"Don't have to tell me twice," said Fetch as she got to a vantage point to snipe the DUP Defectors as Eugene went invisible and flew behind them as three Angels drew their attention. Zeke turned to the director.

"Get to cover!"

"I'm not as fragile as the glass I use, Dunbar!" She made a dome of glass to surround them as a rocket came barreling towards them.

"Rocket proof glass. You should patent that."

"Yes because there are so many people worrying about stray rockets in the world." She pulled out her sidearm, a .45 Sig Sauer, and made a bridge to the mainland before turning to her men. "Hold this platform! Do not let them gain ground!" With the DUP saluting, Samantha Evans joined her fellow Prime Conduits in the fight against the Defectors.

Fetch blasted one of the APCs to scrap, taking out two Defector Pawns in the explosion. A Knight blasted himself into the air with a concrete pillar and towards her snipers nest, tackling her to the ground. Eugene, borrowing a few tricks from Delsin, pinned two Knights to the ground and flew away from a smoke grenade lobbed in his direction. Forming his sword, he swung at the nearest Super Rook and knocked him into the APC he crawled out of. The Super Rook blasted a wall of concrete at him and charged at him as he evaded. Eugene coughed as he was tackled into the building behind him.

Fetch ran circles around the Knight and tied him up before getting back to her vantage point. She saw Eugene get tackled through a wall and winced. She called his phone. "You ok, Geek?"

"Just peachy," grunted the introvert gamer as the call cut out after she heard the sound of crunching machinery. She turned back to the APCs and blasted another one, destroying it and its turret which had Samantha pinned. Samantha growled as a grenade landed at her feet and she dived away. She blasted a rapid fire stream of glass at a Knight who had made a platform on top of a road sign. She watched as he launched himself and landed on the building Eugene was tackled into. She dove for cover behind one of the destroyed APCs and absorbed the broken glass on the ground, shooting at a couple of Pawns who tried advancing up her ramp. She managed to take out one but was distracted as she found the lower half of her body trapped in concrete. She looked up and saw a Bishop advancing on her. She fired her side arm only for the bullets to deflect off of his moving shield of concrete shards.

Fetch fired on the Pawn making his way up the ramp connecting the platform with the mainland and blasted him into the Seattle Bay. She saw Samantha in trouble and blasted away the Bishop's shield, giving the director a clear shot. She fired two shots. Killing the Bishop with one shot to the chest, one to the head. She looked up after hearing a crash and saw Eugene and the Super Rook crash into the Knight that had been giving her trouble before. Eugene kicked away from the Defectors and flew a few feet as they crashed into the ground below, the Knight crushed under the extreme weight of the Super Rook. Samantha sent a torrent of glass at the artificial Conduit, taking him out and leaving only a couple of Knights and a Pawn who all gave up, one of the Knights trying to run away. "Mr. Sims, if you would."

Eugene flew after the retreating Knight and pinned him to the ground as Samantha herself captured the remaining two Defectors with giant hands of glass. Fetch ran over with Light Speed and starred at the hands. "Ok, that's showing off."

"Unlike you two, Mr. Rowe and the late Mr. MacGrath, Conduits with solid abilities need alternate ways of restraining enemies." She looked up at the platform. "We should get back to the platform. See if the rift is still there."

"I'll meet you up there!" She sped off as Eugene landed next to Samantha.

"She seems eager to find Mr. Rowe."

"Well, they're dating. And I think she's… you know."

"How can you tell?"

"Before we went after Celia, she was throwing up a lot in her apartment. She claimed it was food poisoning, but she and Delsin had the same thing and he wasn't sick. And when she worries about Delsin being lost forever, her hand drifts to her stomach."

"I'll keep an eye on her. I've had two kids I know the signs." They walked to the platform and saw Zeke looking at them with a worried expression. "What's wrong?"

"Another rift opened up briefly before quickly disappearing. Two of 'em actually."

"Where?"

"One was in DUP evidence. Barely detected it, it was so small."

"And the other," asked Eugene.

"Seattle PD lock up. And guess who's missing from her cell."

"Celia Penderghast," said Fetch.

"Great," said Eugene. "What else can go wrong?"

"Funny you should ask," said Zeke. As he showed them the rift. Before, it was large enough for a person to go through safely. Now, it was half that size. "The rift is losing energy, and mass. I'd give it at least a couple of weeks before it's closed completely."

"What are you saying," asked Fetch.

"Unless we can find a way to feed this thing more energy, Delsin will be trapped wherever he is, forever."

**(Several miles outside Imperial Capital)**

Delsin yawned as he sat in the courtyard, watching Tatsumi try and keep himself up from a small ledge, only to fall into a pile of hay Delsin set below him as cushioning. "Dammit, this is hard," groaned Tatsumi.

"You're not going to get this in one day, dude. It took me months of training and conditioning to get the hang of it myself. You need to build up strength in your arms and fingers for a lot of the stuff I do. Not to mention working on balance when walking on a narrow pathway. You also need to plan out your path the second you get view of your surroundings, making sure you know where proper footholds are for you to scale."

"That's a lot to remember."

"Not really. I suggest you practice here, get familiar with how to move. Then move on to trying the same thing in the Capital. Practice in a familiar environment then branch out, that way you can easily identify footholds."

"Thanks, Delsin."

"No problem, dude." He noticed Bulat, Mine, Shelle and Lubbock leaving. "Hey, where are you guys going?"

"We have a job to do," said Mine smugly. "Unlike you two who get to stay here and make us dinner!"

"Fine by me," said Delsin. Tatsumi on the other hand, wasn't as pleased.

"Oh come on! I'm supposed to be training! Shouldn't I be going with you?!"

"You're training with Akame today," said Bulat. "And Delsin, you're with Leone."

"Sure, that's fine." He stood up. "I was getting bored watching Tatsumi fall on his ass over and over anyway."

"That's harsh," said Tatsumi. He noticed Sayo following after the group. "Hey, where are you going, Sayo?"

"I'm supposed to be with Bulat today. I'm tagging along to see what it's like from a distance."

"That's so not fair!"

"Welcome to life, Tatsumi," said Delsin with a grin. "Good luck, you guys! Don't get killed!"

"Don't jinx us, man," said Lubbock. The group left and Tatsumi grumbled briefly before following after Delsin into the compound.

"Hey, Delsin. Do you mind switching with me today?"

"Why?"

"That Akame girl kinda freaks me out. Besides, I want to have a word with Leone about getting my money back."

"I think you're gonna have to take it up with Najenda. Not sure just switching like that would go over well without asking her." You're right. Where is she anyway?"

"I think in the meeting room."

"Let's go then!" Delsin walked behind him as his mind drifted to home. _'I hope Eugene and Fetch are ok. The Dups were really quiet before the rift appeared. My absence has probably spurred them into attacking more often, I just know it.'_ He looked at his hands and noticed his smoke darken slightly as his anger flared. _'There's that Karmic Shift thing Eugene was talking about. God, it was so easy for me to kill Aria the other day, and when I did, my smoke was darker with black smoke instead of it's usual almost white appearance. Wonder if the other powers are affected the same way. Obviously, concrete wouldn't be affected, but the other powers, Neon, Video, Lightning, whatever Lucy Kuo gave me.'_

Delsin was so distracted by the shift in his powers because of his anger, he barely registered Najenda talking to him. "Delsin!"

"What?" He looked up and saw Najenda and Tatsumi looking at him. "Sorry, you were saying?"

"I was asking if you were ok with switching with Tatsumi for the day."

"Yeah, I'm fine with it."

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Totally… fine…" She turned to Tatsumi. Leone is cleaning the bathrooms, her punishment from what I learned yesterday. Go help her."

"Uh… is it too late to switch back," asked Tatsumi.

"Yes. Get going,"

"Dammit…" Tatsumi walked away and Najenda turned to the Conduit.

"What's bothering you?"

"Nothing. Everything's perfectly fine. Did you put on perfume? It smells nice."

"Stop trying to change the subject, Delsin. Now tell me, what's wrong." Delsin sighed and sat in a chair.

"My powers. Back home, Eugene made an observation about our powers. During changes in mindset, our powers alter slightly in appearance. It's more apparent for energy based powers like mine. He called it Karmic Relation. When we find ourselves changing mindsets, even briefly our powers change in appearance as well. He called it Karmic Shift. And for my smoke, it's noticeable." He showed his smoke. It was the normal orangish white she heard the other members describe.

"This is your smoke normally?"

"Yes. And when I give into my anger…" He thought about the DUP potentially hurting Eugene and especially Fetch, and his smoke changed to dark red and black. "It becomes this. My smoke takes on a deadlier aspect when I get angry. And it… well, you read their reports."

"It disintegrates whoever you direct it at. It definitely is a deadly trait."

"And it's one that makes me sick to my stomach. And before you start, I know it would be good for assassinations. Leaves no evidence. But I can't use my powers like that. I made a promise to myself and to Reggie's memory never to kill with my powers."

"I understand. I won't force you to kill someone unless you absolutely have to, to defend yourself or someone else."

"Thank you."

"Now, go to meet Akame. She's over by the cliffs to get ingredients for dinner tonight."

"Alright. See ya, Boss Lady." Delsin walked away and Najenda sighed.

"If only it could be that easy."

Delsin walked over to the cliffs and saw Akame. She turned to him. "Where's Tatsumi?"

"He asked to switch instructors today. Don't know why." Akame shrugged.

"We're going to be catching fish and teaching you how to conceal your presence." Small problem. I can't swim."

"You can't swim?"

"I mean, I know how to, but since my powers awakened, being in water affects me strangely. My powers don't work for a bit and whenever I fish myself out, I have to wait a couple of minutes before I even try to use them." Akame just stared at him. Delsin sighed. "Alright. I'll do it." Akame nodded and stripped down to a bathing suit she wore under her outfit. Delsin looked away as she did, giving her some privacy as she did, a small blush on his face. He watched her dive into the river below the small cliff. Seconds later several fish were thrown out of the water to a basket on the cliff beside Delsin.

"Ok, that was impressive." Akame popped her head out of the water and stared at him.

"Now you try."

"You said something about concealing my presence?"

"It's easy. Just focus on your energy and suppress it."

"Yeah, cause that sounds easy as hell…" Delsin sighed and took off his beanie and jacket. "Ok… Let's try it…" About an hour later, the members of Night Raid still in the compound were feasting on a banquet made up of several fish and some vegetable sides.

"I can't believe you got so many," said Leone.

"Well, I didn't have any luck suppressing my energy, so I just sent it all out, from down below and knocked them into the baskets. Honestly didn't know I got so many, actually. I just randomly smoked them out of the water."

"Impressive," said Najenda. "And did you use your powers to smoke the fish as well?"

"I've tried back in my world. Doesn't work. I just smoked them the old fashioned way."

"You really are a keeper," said Leone. "You're cute, you can cook, if things don't work out between you and the Fetch girl…"

"Don't!" The people around him jumped at his outburst, not expecting it. "Don't say that… Not even as a joke!" Najenda watched Delsin's smoke start to darken from the negative emotions he was feeling and cleared her throat.

"Leone, maybe you and Akame should prepare for your assignments."

"Assignments," asked Tatsumi.

"There are two targets," said Leone. "We've been hired to kill a corrupt Imperial Guard Captain named Ogre a master swordsman, and an oil merchant named Gamal. Gamal has been bribing Ogre to frame people for the crimes he commits. He's not the only person he takes bribes from, but he's the one we're taking out tonight. The woman who hired us for this had her husband framed by Ogre and killed a while ago. She smelled like chemicals. I think she was selling her body to be able to hire us."

"Alright then," said Najenda. "Akame, you go after Gamal, Leone, you take on Ogre."

"Wait," said Tatsumi. "Give me a target."

"Are you sure, Tatsumi?"

"Yeah. I joined your team I should carry my weight." Najenda took a puff from her cigarette and looked at him.

"Alright." Tatsumi smiled. "Your target is Ogre. Akame, Leone, you take Gamal." She turned to Delsin. "While they are taking out their targets. We need you to draw the other Imperial Guards away."

"Ok, and how do I do that without drawing Ogre to me?"

"I'm sure you'll think of a way. Tatsumi. You're not to take on Ogre until his subordinates in the Imperial Guard are away from him. Understand?" Tatsumi nodded, albeit reluctantly and Delsin looked at him.

"You'll be fine, man."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Delsin." The Conduit grinned in response.

An hour later, Delsin was walking in the middle of the street, trying to think of a good way of drawing out the Imperial Guard when he heard the sound of a scuffle. "Someone help me! Please," called a woman in an alley. Delsin ran over and climbed to the rooftops to get a vantage point. He spotted two men assaulting a woman and dropped down next to them.

"You know, if you need to rape a woman to get laid, you must really be a hit with the ladies. Speaking of hits…" Delsin swung his chain, knocking them away from the woman. "Get out of here! Hide!" She nodded and ran from the alley. He grinned at the two men and brought his shield to bare. "I could use a good warm up. Come on!" The two charged him and he grinned letting them take a few swings, missing each one. He batted one away with his chain and blocked a kick with the shield. He wrapped the chain back around his arm and fired off a Smoke Shot at one of their heads, knocking them out and restraining him to the ground. The other one growled and tried to stab him with a hidden knife, only to hit the shield and be thrown away. "Big mistake!" Delsin channeled his smoke to the shield and threw it, hitting the thug and covering him with smoke.

As he coughed, Delsin Smoke Dashed to him and knocked him to the ground, restraining him. He chuckled and picked up his shield as he heard the sound of running footsteps. He turned around only to get kicked in the face. "Don't move evildoer!" shouted a familiar voice.

"Stop," said the woman. "That's the man who helped me!"

"Ow," groaned Delsin as he stood up. "That was a good kick."

"Eugene," asked Seryu Ubiquitous. Delsin rubbed his cheek as he looked at her.

"Seryu… nice to see you again… though I wish I wasn't being kicked as a greeting."

"I'm sorry! I didn't know it was you!"

"Don't worry. Not a problem." He walked over to her and absorbed the smoke from the torch she was holding, healing the bruise from her boot. He looked at the woman. "Are you ok?" She nodded, and he grinned, making both women blush. "Good. Try not to go out at night alone, alright?"

"I had my boyfriend with me, but he ran off. Bastard…"

"Then maybe it's time to end it. You can give Seryu here your report. I'll wait till your done to give mine." She nodded and Delsin stood off to the side. Seryu nodded when she was done, and the woman ran off. She turned to Delsin.

"So. Why did you help her?"

"If I didn't who would? She was lucky to have found you after running off."

"I suppose…" Delsin led her to the alley and the restrained thugs. She poked at the restraints. "What is this stuff?"

"Smoke. My special ability." Delsin noticed something and knelt down to pick the thugs pockets.

"Don't touch that," shouted the thug, making Seryu kick him.

"Stay quiet, evildoer!" She turned to Delsin as he read a note. "What is that?"

"Directions to a hideout. Apparently, they were supposed to memorize then burn it. Idiot must've forgotten that last part." He looked on the back of the note. "Payoffs?"

"What?" Seryu looked at the note and noticed names of some of her fellow guards. Delsin saw the look of betrayal in her eyes and turned to her.

"Seryu, stop. Whatever you're planning right now, it can wait."

"But… I know these names!"

"I get that, but right now, we should find this hideout." He turned to Koro and let him sniff his hand. "I'll go find the location, gather two guards you know you can trust and have Koro track me."

"Are you sure?"

"This is like the drug busts I did back home. Me and my girlfriend, Fetch, took on an entire illegal drug trade by ourselves, wiped out their product and had the police arrest those who hadn't gotten away. If I'm right, they're bound to have a lot of incriminating evidence against them in their hideout." Delsin didn't give her time to respond and climbed to the roof tops before using the streets below as an indication for the note. _'Wonder how I was able to learn the language so quickly? Questions for later.'_ Delsin found the hideout, two guards standing outside the door. _'Could you be any more obvious?'_

He saw Seryu running back with more than just two guards like he said, and he grinned. _'This'll be easier than I thought. Hopefully this drew enough people away from Ogre for Tatsumi to take him.'_ One of the guards stepped forward and blocked Seryu. "Can we help you, lady?"

"We know you're hiding out here. Surrender now!" The guard chuckled as his partner grinned.

"Come on, don't be like that. Surely we can come to some kind of… agreement." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small sack of coins. Seryu glared at him but felt someone next to her shuffle nervously before turning to her.

"Seryu, maybe we should just let this go." She turned to him as Delsin snuck behind the guard still at the door and restrained him to the ground.

"What are you saying, Damien?!"

"That looks like a lot of gold." Delsin blasted the guard in the back of the head with a Smoke Shot, knocking him out and restraining him. Seryu grinned and pointed to the downed guards.

"Koro! K…"

"Don't," said Delsin. "They're down. No need to kill them. Just take them in."

"But they're criminals!"

"They're still human and deserved to be treated as such." He turned to the Imperial Guards she brought with her. "Ok, people. We're going to raid this place. I asked for just two people, but you're more than I expected. We're going to do this quietly and quickly. Knock 'em out, restrain them with rope. If things start to get hairy, and they know we're in their hideout, they'll be trying to kill us, once they attack, then if you can, try and knock them out if not, just try not to leave a high body count!"

The Imperial Guards, including a reluctant Seryu, nodded and followed him into the hideout. They saw it was an old warehouse. Delsin directed the Guards to quietly move around the shelves and incapacitate any thug they found, keeping Seryu with him to keep an eye on her and make sure she didn't kill anyone. Delsin continued to knock out thug after thug, Seryu did as well, using Koro to smother some of them into unconsciousness. Things were going smoothly until a female guard forgot her footing and knocked a crate of opiates to the ground, drawing the attention of the rest of the guards. "What the?... It's the Imperial Guard! Kill them!"

"Dammit," said Delsin as the girl was shot full of arrows. "All forces, engage!" He lobbed a smoke bomb, catching several thugs in it's radius before he started blasting them with Smoke Shots. The guards charged and started fighting the remaining thugs. Delsin pulled out his chain and shield as Seryu pulled out her sword and turned to Koro.

"Koro! Sic 'em!" Delsin watched as Koro grew in size until he was twice his own height.

"He can do that?!" Seryu grinned as Koro charged at the thugs, taking them out in droves. Delsin followed close behind with Seryu helping her fellow guards. Delsin used Koro as a step and hovered above the thugs with his Smoke Thrusters before lobbing Smoke Bombs at groups of them, choking them long enough for Koro to knock them out. Delsin noticed a heavily armored thug sneaking behind Seryu. "Seryu, duck!" She listened and he blasted the man with a Sulphur Rocket, wrecking the plate mail and giving Seryu a chance to stab him. Delsin landed and ran passed Koro to where some of the thugs ran to hide. He kicked open the door and saw several flint rifles and bows pointed at him.

"Take another step, and we open fire, asshole!" Delsin grinned and took a step as Seryu came up behind him. The criminals let loose a volley of fire and hit Delsin square in the chest.

"Eugene," shouted Seryu. Delsin grinned and pulled out the arrows before absorbing smoke from a torch by the door. Seryu saw his wounds heal up instantly before he sent a Cinder Blast to the thugs, the leader running into another doorway as his men were knocked against a wall and knocked out. Seryu looked at one of her comrades who finished restraining a downed thug. "Get these criminals restrained! We're going after the leader!"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Come on, Eugene!"

"Right behind you," said the Conduit.

"Koro, heel!" Koro reverted to his normal size and hopped on Seryu's shoulder. They ran to the door and Delsin blasted it open, finding the leader aiming a gun at them, shaking.

"What the hell do you want?! We paid Ogre! Don't tell me he's asking for more!"

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me, bitch! What does Ogre want?! More money?! We gave him the agreed upon amount to look the other way this month! And now you Imperial Guard fucks come storming in here, taking down my men?! What's going on?!" Delsin hit his head with a Smoke Shot, bringing him down instantly. He turned to Seryu who looked like she was about to cry.

"Do you know, Ogre?"

"He's my teacher. My superior in the Imperial Guard. When my parents were killed, he took me in. How could he?..." Delsin sighed and looked around before opening a drawer in the only desk in the room.

"Hey, this looks like a ledger." He opened it up. "Looks like it's filled with detailed transactions." He went through each page until he found a name. "'1,200 gold pieces for Ubiquitous job.'"

"Let me see that!" Seryu took the book and read it. "This… this is dated a day before my parents were killed…" She turned to the leader and growled before slapping him awake. "Answer my question if you want to remain in one piece, evildoer." For emphasis, Koro bared his fangs and grew to Delsin's height, scaring the man.

"Sure! I'll do whatever you say! Just don't hurt me!"

"The Ubiquitous Job, who hired you to attack my parents?"

"You can't expect me to remember that?!" Koro growled and Seryu pressed her blade to the man's throat. Delsin smelled the familiar smell of piss and fear as the man weighed his options. Seryu pressed the blade closer, drawing blood. "Ogre! It was fucking Ogre! Said the man was going to expose our deals! Wanted him out of the way!" Delsin practically heard her heart shatter.

"He… he was Daddy's best friend… How could he…" Delsin saw tears start to well up in her eyes and drew her into a hug, letting her get it all out. After what felt like hours, Seryu wiped her eyes dry before turning to the leader of the gang. "Koro… Consume, but don't kill. I want more answers out of him." She turned to Delsin. "Eugene. I'm going to check on my men before looking for Ogre. Can you wait outside?"

"Sure thing. Oh, and Eugene Sims is an alias, I'm using my friends name while I'm here. Real name's Delsin. Delsin Rowe."

"Alright Eu… I mean Delsin, please wait outside of the warehouse. I'll join you in a bit."

"Alright. You gonna be ok?"

"I'll be fine." _'I'll be much better when I get my hands on that traitor.'_ Delsin leaned against the wall, waiting for Seryu to exit the warehouse. It only took a few moments before she and the guard from earlier, Damien, exited. She turned to him. "Get a carriage here. Drag these men back to the cells for trial."

"Who died and made you leader?"

"Considering I'm senior in rank to all of you, I think it'd be wise for you to listen."

"Right… sorry." She turned to Delsin.

"Let's go… Eugene."

"Right," replied Delsin. She placed Koro on her shoulder, and they walked calmly in silence. It was a few moments before Delsin spoke up. "What are you going to do?"

"What?"

"When we confront Ogre, what are you going to do?"

"I… I don't know…"

"You should think on what you're going to do before doing anything. I know how much you must want revenge, I get it. But that kind of action will eat away at you until you lose yourself." Seryu paused momentarily, thinking it over. _'Hopefully, Tatsumi is done by now. She's still trying to process everything and learning a member of Night Raid is attacking Ogre could sway her thoughts down a dangerous path.' _Seryu nodded to herself before turning to Delsin.

"Ok, I know what I'm going to do."

"Not killing, I hope."

"Depends on how he answers my questions."

"Seryu…"

"This is for my family, Delsin. You lost your brother to a woman threatening your tribe. I potentially lost my parents to a man protecting his wealth. Let me do this… for them." Delsin looked her in the eyes before sighing.

"Alright. Let's go then." They continued to walk for a few minutes before they heard fighting down an empty alleyway. They ran down it and Delsin saw Tatsumi about to land the finishing blow on a large man with red eyes. "Wait," he called out. Tatsumi paused and looked at him, surprised. Delsin hit the man square in the head with a Smoke Shot, restraining him to the ground as he tried to stab Tatsumi. Seryu glanced at Tatsumi and Delsin before walking over to Ogre. He looked up at her.

"Seryu! What are you doing?! They're Night Raid! Kill them!"

"My parents…" her words were so quiet, Delsin could barely make them out.

"What?! Speak up! I can't hear you!"

"What role did you play in my parents' death?" She asked, louder than before.

"I have no idea what you're talking a…"

"LIAR!" She threw the ledger in his face, opened to the page with Family Name written down. "The gang you've been taking bribes from told me everything! You hired them to ambush and kill my dad because he was about to out your bribes! He was your best friend! How could you?!" Ogre stared up at her before hardening his gaze and glaring.

"You just had to go digging where you shouldn't… Yes. I had them killed! Bastard would've ruined the life I had! A life of luxury and comfort, well outside what I would've lived with just the military's salary. All that talk of Justice, and making things right, it made me sick! Good riddance!" Seryu growled at him, a manic look in her eyes.

"Koro!"

"Seryu," cautioned Delsin.

"Dismember!" Koro grew in size and ripped off Ogre's arms and legs. Seryu covered his mouth as he howled in pain and agony. Eventually, she stuffed a bloody rag that was covering a bullet wound on her arm in his mouth, to avoid him biting off a finger. Delsin looked away as Koro began eating the limbs. Seryu turned to Tatsumi. "Night Raid. Is he a target of yours?"

"Y-yes ma'am," said Tatsumi, nervously.

"Then you can kill him. My father wouldn't want me to kill him, despite his betrayal…" Tatsumi nodded and stood over Ogre before swinging his sword, lobbing off Ogre's head and ending his pain and fear. Delsin looked at Seryu and saw her drop to her knees, crying. He hugged her again and this time, she threw her arms around him. Tatsumi looked around.

"Uh… we should get going. Other Imperial Guards are bound to show up."

"Give us a minute," said Delsin.

"No," said Seryu. She wiped her eyes dry and turned to Delsin. "You two should go. I'm part of the Imperial Guard, I'll make it seem like I found Ogre like this."

"Seryu, are you sure?"

"Yes." She saw his worried look and smiled. "I'll be fine. Don't worry."

"Alright then, meet me where we first met in two days, then!"

"Delsin," said Tatsumi. "We gotta go!" Delsin nodded and the two men ran off, careful to evade guard patrols as Seryu screamed in fake despair and very real anger, drawing the attention of the other Imperial Guards.

**(Elsewhere in the Imperial Capital)**

A woman stood on the rooftops watching the two newest men in Night Raid, a paper rabbit mask covering the top half of her face. She smiled as she watched him look around before skirting around guards. "I've found you, Delsin." As the two men left the Capital, the woman ran after him, paper trailing behind her as she ran on the wind, faster than anyone could ever catch. Celia Penderghast smiled as her inspiration for what she had become was so close to her, and yet she knew she'd need to keep her distance for some time. Sticking to the trees, she followed them to Night Raids base, happy to watch Delsin Rowe in action once more.


	4. Kill the Doubt

Delsin made his way to the tavern he met Leone in, waiting for Seryu to arrive. He ordered an ale and some food, using some of the money he still had from killing the Earth Dragon five days ago. _'Damn. Has it really only been five days? I feel like it's been longer than that.'_ He took a sip of his ale and adjusted the shield on his back. _'Man, I hope Fetch and Eugene are doing ok. I know they can handle themselves, but the Dups aren't pushovers either. There've been times when we've barely scraped by and had to retreat because they hit us hard, or they ambushed us from the crowds where we couldn't spam our more explosive techniques.'_

"Eugene," asked someone behind him. He turned around and found Seryu wearing a light green sundress with Koro on her shoulder. Delsin smiled as he saw her and gestured to the seat across from him. Seryu hid her blush as she walked passed him to sit down and he ordered her a water.

"How are you?"

"I'm… ok. I'm still reeling from Ogre's betrayal, but I'm ok."

"Are you sure?" She nodded and he held her hand slightly, drawing her attention. "I've been where you are right now. Betrayed by someone you thought a friend. Your mind starts filling itself with dark thoughts. 'I should've seen this coming,' or 'Could I have stopped this?' Don't let those thoughts get to you."

"Have you ever been betrayed like this?"

"Not by a person I saw as family. But someone I thought of as a friend. His name was Frank. He was the man who gave me my Smoke trick. Back home, he was hunted by Augustine, the woman I told you about. But she struck a deal with him. He gets me, she lets him go home to his daughter. He did it."

"What happened to him?"

"His betrayal is what led to Reggie dying. Augustine had laid a trap for me, one I fell for, and Reggie saved me. But as we were about to leave, Augustine caused him to be hanging from a cliff. I tried to pull him up, but he was too heavy. So we didn't both plummet to our deaths, Reggie let himself plummet to his death."

"Oh my god…"

"I caught up to Hank not long after, he'd been fighting Augustine's people who were going back on his deal with her without her knowledge. We beat them, and I had him in my reach." He unrolled his chain and held both ends in his hands. "I wrapped my chain around his neck, ready to kill him. Ready to get revenge for Reggie. But I hesitated."

"Why?"

"Because out on the ocean, there was a boat. I heard a girl shouting. It was Hank's daughter. She was calling out for him and Hank was right there, reaching for her with my chain pulling on his neck. I couldn't kill him. If I did, his daughter would've been an orphan. I couldn't do that, to either of them. That moment, solidified the reason I shouldn't kill, and why you should strive not to kill unless you have no choice when protecting yourself or others. Think of how your parents deaths left you. Could you let someone else go through the same thing because of your actions?" Seryu looked down at her hands as she pulled away from his. Delsin took another swig of his ale as she thought.

"…I've killed so many already. All in the name of Justice. Or, what Ogre said was Justice. Now, I'm wondering just how many innocent lives I've killed because Ogre said they deserved it."

"It's probably more than you think. But just like the thoughts you get from Ogre's betrayal, don't focus on it. Taking a single life without reason is bad enough. But you let that eat at you and it gets worse."

"How do I make it better?"

"Do as much good as you can. Not for yourself, for others. Those who's lives were ruined because of what you did, those you haven't touched. That's the only thing I can offer."

"How do you do it?"

"I just remember a phrase my brother told me when he first became a police officer. 'It is the duty of the strong to defend the weak, so they may one day become strong themselves and defend those weaker than them.'"

"Reggie sounds like a hero."

"He was. When our parents died, he stepped up in the village and at home, helping wherever he could. And I was too much of a rebel to respect him. When we worked together against Augustine, we were closer than we'd ever been before." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his brother's badge. Now, Seryu reached over and grasped his hand as he looked at the badge. Nodding, he fixed it to his jacket, right below his patches. She smiled at him. He grinned back slightly and took another swig of his ale. Seryu's expression turned thoughtful.

"Delsin?" He looked at her.

"Yeah?"

"If you're so against killing…" she turned to him, eyes darkening. "Why are you with Night Raid?" She whispered the last half so no one would over react. Delsin sighed and set his mug down.

"I'm with… them… because they can help me. I'm not an assassin, like most of them are. Our deal is I help keep the guards busy in one way or another while they go to take out their target. They only take out the corrupt men and women who would hurt their pushes for change when the Revolutionary overthrows the Minister and helps guide the Emperor away from the life of corruption and debauchery the Minister seems deadest on leading towards."

"I can't believe this. The Minister is corrupt?"

"Are you really that surprised? Power corrupts. And there's no position of power higher than just below the tip, where you can whisper lies to the emperor, but aren't directly targeted unless people know about your actions."

"This is too much…"

"I'm sorry. I know this must be a lot to hear."

"It is…" Seryu pushed her mug aside and grabbed Delsin's, chugging down the rest of the ale. He looked at her and couldn't help but chuckle. She glared at him as she slammed the mug down with a gasp. "Don't laugh at me!"

"Sorry, sorry. You just looked so cute when you did that." Seryu blushed and threw the mug at him, he ducked, still laughing. After a couple of seconds, she joined the laughter, unable to help herself. He stood up, paid for his meal and picked up his uneaten food. "Come on. Let's go for a walk."

"Alright." Delsin pocketed the sandwich he ordered and led her to the slums. She looked around at the streets she normally patrolled and saw, finally saw how many people were suffering. She saw children run from her in fear, and she knew why. She'd been here a number of times, using Koro to kill several people Ogre claimed were criminals hiding in the slums. Delsin knelt down and handed the sandwich to a boy who was standing between them and his younger sister who seemed to be starving.

"Don't eat it all at once, and don't feed her too much." Kneeling next to her, he used his Smoke Heal to remove the bruises and cuts she had on her body. Her brother hugged her before looking at him.

"Thank you…"

"Don't mention it." He stood up and turned to Seryu. "Come on. We're not done yet." As she followed him, she looked around and saw so much pain, disease, suffering. She felt herself get sick.

'_I caused some of this,'_ she thought to herself._ 'I turned a blind eye to this because I was so focused on bringing Justice to evildoers, I didn't see the real injustice going on right in front of me! Why is he showing me this?! To guilt me?! Or to teach me?' _Delsin led her to a building and stood by the wall. He cupped his hands low.

"Come on, I'll give you a boost up to the roof." Seryu glared at him and gestured to her dress.

"I won't look, I promise. I'm above that. Well, technically I'd be below it, but…"

"You're not helping your case."

"Just come on!" Seryu sighed before walking to him and stepping on his hands.

"You look, I castrate you!"

"Duly noted. Brace yourself!" He tossed her up, using his enhanced strength as a Conduit. On instinct from months of doing the same with Eugene and Fetch so they could maneuver around DUP APCs without powers, he looked up to see if she made it, only to get a brief look at her white panties. He blushed and looked away quickly. _'Dammit. Why did I look up? Fetch is going to kill me if she finds out.'_ Delsin looked around as Seryu looked over the edge.

"You coming?!"

"Yeah, give me a second. Just making sure your brothers in arms don't see me do this." After making sure the coast was clear, while also calming down his blush, Delsin started climbing the building, impressing Seryu with his skill and speed. He landed next to her and she looked at him, arms folded on her chest.

"What did you want to show me?" He pointed behind her with a grin. She turned around and saw what he wanted to show her. She saw the old warehouse where they took out the gang. On the wall facing them and the rest of the city between it and the castle, was a giant mural. She saw the Capital's skyline painted blue in the palms of two hands, tenderly holding the city.

"The Capital is in safe hands now. This is the message to show that. And those corrupt lords and ladies who benefit from the suffering of others better watch out. Because there are heroes here now."

"Heroes?"

"You and me." He pat her shoulder. "The hardest part of being a hero, isn't just keeping yourself from killing, or helping others whenever you can, it's forgiving yourself for your actions. It's not easy at all, and you will struggle with it. But it's necessary. Heroes aren't saints, not by a long shot. They make mistakes and learn from them. Sometimes those mistakes affect the lives of people around them without them even knowing. Sometimes, it only affects themselves. But it's learning from those mistakes, learning from those failures that pushes a hero to find the will to fight for those who can't fight for themselves and try to forgive themselves for their failure." Seryu looked at the mural again.

"I've got a question for you," she said.

"Shoot." Why did you bring me here, and to the slums?"

"Because you needed something to fight for that isn't revenge. That isn't blind Justice." He waved behind her again. She turned from the mural and saw the commoners going about their lives, some poor, others barely managing, all with grim looks on their faces. She also saw a few of the rich and noble families walking among them, one helping who they could by giving out coin, the rest either ignoring or sneering with contempt at the people just trying to survive. "Fight for the people. Be a hero they can look up to and learn from. Inspire others to stand up. Help me help this city, one district at a time. Start with the criminals, and helping the people however we can, work our way up."

"You expect me to help you?"

"Not expect, hope you will."

"I-I'm in the Imperial Guard. I have a duty to uphold."

"And how long will it be before you step on the wrong toe by mistake if you encounter another person taking bribes like Ogre was? What will you do then if you're forced to fight against the other guards because you've been wrongfully accused?" Seryu looked at him in disbelief but knew it was a possibility.

"I'll… I'll figure it out if… when it happens. For now, you need someone in the Guard to help with diversions."

"Seryu, are you sure? I can't get to me if you do this."

"I'll be fine. I have Koro."

"You need more than just Koro. And a sword can't help you if you can't kill those you once called friends."

"I have someone who can help with that. His name is Dr. Stylish. Ogre said if I ever needed to get stronger, go to him."

"Can you trust him?"

"Ogre trusted him… but I think I can as long as I can pass it off as needing to get strong to avenge the bastard. It's what Stylish expects of me."

"Just be careful. Don't do anything too risky, and definitely don't get anything that's potentially lethal to yourself or others."

"The last part may be difficult. Stylish will expect me to be bloodthirsty and vengeful. That would mean he would put at least one or two highly lethal equipment in my possession. I'll be careful, and I'll be sure to run if things get out of hand." Delsin sighed before nodding.

"Alright. I'll trust you with this."

"Thank you, Delsin. But I'm not joining Night Raid."

"And I'm not asking you to. We're partners in crime fighting. Nothing else." He held out his hand. "Deal?"

"Deal." They shook hands and Koro barked before jumping on their hands, tail wagging.

"Koro says 'Deal!'"

"Well alright," said Delsin with a chuckle. "Welcome to the team, Koro!"

"Arf!" Seryu looked down from the roof.

"So, how do we get down?"

"The old fashioned way." Seryu blushed as Delsin picked her up, bridal style, and jumped off the roof. She held in a scream as they fell, and he landed without any problem or broken limbs.

"You're going to tell me how you can do all this stuff, right?"

"In time. For now, just wait in anticipation for my explanation."

"You're an ass!" she punched his shoulder.

"Eh, so I've been told!" Seryu shook her head. Delsin waved goodbye to her and started to head back to the compound. Seryu watched him walk away and was just about to turn around when she spotted something out of the corner of her eye. She looked up at what caught her eye and saw a girl wearing a paper rabbit mask watching Delsin from the rooftops.

"Who's that?" Seryu blinked as the girl grinned sadistically and seemed to turn into paper and drifted on the wind as she followed Delsin. "That looks like what Delsin did against those criminals in the warehouse. Is she from his home?" With the sadistic grin she saw on the girl, Seryu took on a determined look. "Come on, Koro! I think Delsin is in danger!"

"Arf!" After he hopped on her shoulder, Seryu started following the girl and Delsin, trying to see if the girl was trying to hurt her new friend and partner.

* * *

**(Seattle)**

Eugene and Fetch watched as the rift fluctuated again, letting out a sigh of relief as it stayed the same size, this time at least. In the last two days, the rift had fluctuated a number of times, sometimes losing mass, other times staying the same size as it was before the fluctuations. Now, the rift was barely big enough for a large dog to enter. Earlier, Zeke had tried to send more energy into the rift by channeling electricity into it with exposed cables, only for the cables to be sucked in and out of the power source he had hooked them up to. "Zeke," asked Samantha. "Can you think of anything else that might work?"

"Short of miraculously resurrecting Cole? I'm fresh out."

"How would Cole help," asked Fetch.

"Are you kidding? Cole was a walking battery! If anyone could've kept this rift open for long periods of time, it'd be him!"

"And he's seven years dead," said Samantha. Eugene looked at the portal. He turned to a camera aimed at the rift and an idea popped into his mind. Stepping away from the DUP team, Eugene pulled out his phone and dialed a number. He waited until the line was picked up.

"Hello," asked a girl on the other end of the call. Eugene smiled briefly.

"Amalia, hi!"

"Eugene! How are you?! Did you find your friend?!"

"Um… no. Not yet. Um… that's actually what I'm calling you about. You remember the rift I told you about?"

"You mean the whole in space/time, right?"

"Right."

"What about… Eugene Simms! Please don't tell me you're thinking about going in there!"

"I have to! The rift is closing fast. If we don't find a way to feed it more energy, it'll close forever and Delsin will be lost!"

"And why do you have to do it?!"

"Because it's already shrunk to the size of a large dog and Fetch can't safely run into it! Director Evans can't dash into it, neither can any of her agents! I'm the only one who's power can allow me to fit if I dash through a camera, squeezing me down small enough for the brief amount of time it takes to dash through, find an exit and try and get what I need to keep the rift open indefinitely."

"Eugene… what if you never come back? What if the rift closes after you go through and I never see you again?!"

"I'll come back. I promise. I won't abandon you."

"Do you even know if this will work?"

"No. But I have to try. Delsin would do the same thing for me."

"…Don't go yet. I'm coming over to you. Rainier district, right?"

"Amalia…"

"No arguing, Eugene! If you're going off to be a hero, then let the girlfriend send you off with a kiss."

"G-girlfriend?!"

"What? We are dating, aren't we?"

"Y-yeah…"

"Then it's not a problem. I'll see you in a few minutes, Eugene!"

"A-alright…" Amalia hung up and Eugene ended the call on his end before punching the sky, forgetting the severity of the rift for just a second.

Back at the rift, Fetch was pacing, watching the rift with the eagle eyes of a sniper before blasting a stream of neon at it in anger, watching it disappear into the rift. "Bring him back," she shouted at the rift for the umpteenth time.

"If it didn't work the first time," said Zeke. "What makes you think the next seven times would work?"

"I'm just frustrated!"

"I get it. I do. But we can't help Delsin if we're angry and making mistakes." He took off his ever present sunglasses and looked her in the eyes. "We need to approach this with a cool head. We can't just go in half-cocked and guns blazing! That's liable to get us killed pretty damn quick."

"We can't be out of ideas!" Samantha walked over to her.

"Ms. Walker. Can I speak to you privately?"

"Yeah… sure…" Fetch walked away, and Samantha turned to Zeke.

"Mr. Dunbar. Keep trying, if you would."

"You got it, boss lady!" Samantha walked with Fetch to one of the side platforms and turned to her.

"Ms. Walker…. Fetch." The Neon Conduit turned to her slightly from gazing out to the Seattle Bay. "This urgency to find Delsin as quickly as possible. Is it just because of your relationship with him? Or is it something more?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, have you been feeling well these last few days? Feeling sick at random times, craving random foods at odd intervals?"

"Hold up! Are you thinking I'm…"

"Not just me. Eugene was the one who brought it to my attention."

"I-I'm not… pregnant! I'm just worried! Me and Eugene can't fight the Defectors alo…" Samantha saw her eyes widen slightly and she covered her mouth before kneeling over the side of the platform. Samantha sighed as Fetch began throwing up whatever her last meal was. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a pack of tissues before handing them to her. Fetch took them and finished emptying her stomach. "This don't mean nothing!"

"Fetch. We have a doctor in the DUP. I want you to visit him and get checked up. If I'm right, I want you to take it easy. You're too stressed, and if you are pregnant, it may affect the baby in negative ways. Better to be safe than sorry." Fetch looked like she wanted to protest but hesitated, a hand going instinctively to her stomach. Undoing the wrapping on the tissues, Fetch wiped her mouth clean and stood up. She turned to the director.

"Alright… I'll go…"

"Good girl. I'll have the helicopter take you back to the base of operations."

"Boss," said a Pawn that was guarding the ramp to the mainland over the radio. "We've got an unknown vehicle pulling up and a girl claiming she knows Mr. Sims."

"It's probably Amalia," said Fetch. "That's the girl Eugene's been seeing."

"Keep her off the ramp until we can verify her identity."

"Yes, ma'am." Samantha turned Fetch. "Let's see if it is Eugene's girlfriend, shall we?"

"Sure! Been wanting to meet her since he mentioned her." They walked over to Eugene and saw him looking over some data about the rift. "Hey, Geek. You expecting company?"

"Yeah, Amalia said she was coming over here. Why?"

"How much does she know about the rift," asked Samantha.

"Pretty much everything we do."

"Mr. Sims. Are you sure it's wise to inform a civilian of our operations?"

"I trust her, Samantha. I know she can keep this a secret."

"You better be sure. If word gets out about Delsin's disappearance, and the rifts origin, then she'll be labeled arrested for disclosing State secrets. Understand?"

"She wouldn't do that."

"You better be right. Come on. My men are having her wait at the end of the ramp." Samantha led the way down as Fetch nudged Eugene while they followed her.

"So, anything I need to know about Amalia before I meet her?"

"Um… nothing I can think of right now. Fetch, please don't embarrass me. I think I really have a shot with her."

"I make no promises, Geek." They made their way down the ramp and Fetch paused as she saw a girl with long blonde hair and wearing short shorts and a tank top leaning against a corvette. She smiled as she saw Eugene and waved.

"Eugene!" Eugene smiled and ran over to her.

'_Holy crap,'_ Fetch thought to herself. _'Eugene got_ her_ attention?! Damn, I'm jealous!'_ Fetch shook her head. _'Where the hell did that come from?'_ She walked over to them as Amalia kissed Eugene's cheek with a smile. "So," said Fetch. "You're Amalia, huh?"

"Yep!" The blonde smiled and held up her hand. "I'm Amalia Crowe!"

"Names Fetch." The Neon Conduit shook her hand and saw her smile widen.

"So, can I see the rift?"

"I'm afraid not," said Samantha. "Only authorized personnel and Delsin's friends are allowed up here."

"Dammit! I wanted to see if I could have a look at the event horizon and try and find a way to feed it power! I was thinking some kind of energy converter with Eugene and Fetch as the power source, use their energies to convert into electrical energy…" Fetch and Samantha blinked as she muttered to herself about how to best build such a device, completely forgetting anyone else was around her. Eugene smiled as Fetch turned to him with a 'What the hell' look.

"She's incredibly smart," said the video conduit. "Maybe the smartest woman in the world!"

"Second smartest," said Amalia. "I'm nowhere near as smart as my mom!" She looked at Samantha. "Can I come up, now?"

Eugene turned to her with a pleading look in his eyes. Samantha sighed. "Fine. But don't touch anything until you're told, got it?"

"Got it!" Amalia gave a toothy smile and Fetch blushed lightly before shaking her head. Up at the top of the ramp, Zeke was typing away, trying to run a simulation on how to fix the rift and get to Delsin. After another failed simulation, Zeke sighed and sat back in his chair.

"Dammit. Why can't things be easy for once?" Hearing something, Zeke looked up and around. "The hell…?" He walked out to the rift and looked at the nearby Rook. "Did you hear something?"

"Yeah, but I couldn't tell you what it was." Zeke looked around until his eyes drifted to the rift.

"… eke," came a voice from the rift. Zeke and the Rook turned to the rift, Zeke with disbelief. "That you," asked the voice from the rift.

"Cole…?"

* * *

**(Several miles outside the Capital City)**

Delsin was making his way to the compound when he heard shouting and spotted a giant whole blasted out of the wall. "Jesus! What the hell?!" Delsin Smoke Dashed to the compound and climbed up to the hole. "What's going on?! Are we under attack?!" He blushed as he saw Mine in nothing but her underwear, Tatsumi cowering next to the door that was no longer there. Delsin Dashed out of sight. "I didn't see anything!"

"Bullshit," shouted Mine. Delsin heard he aim Pumpkin in his direction. "Fess up!"

"Alright, alright! I saw, but it was an accident! Can't say the same about Tatsumi. I heard screaming and saw the hole blasted in the wall and rushed over!"

"Hmph. Fine. You're excused." Delsin sighed. "You, on the other hand!" Delsin heard her turn the Imperial Arm on Tatsumi.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Delsin Smoke Dashed and tackled Tatsumi out of harms way as Mine fired at him, just above where his head was.

"Hey! Watch your aim!"

"Don't move the pervert out of the way!"

"It was an accident! I was trying to wake you up," shouted Tatsumi

"Haven't you ever heard of knocking?!" Delsin looked at Tatsumi.

"Please tell me you didn't enter a woman's room without knocking and being allowed in."

"Uh… I was getting kind of impatient."

"That's no excuse! Now we've got a pissed off pinkette with a high powered sniper rifle firing at us!"

"Some things never change," said Sayo from her room's door way, next to whatever was left of Mine's. "Tatsumi's always been careless whenever it comes to entering other people's rooms or houses. You wouldn't believe how often he's barged into my bedroom back in the village while I was taking my time changing." Delsin sighed and tossed him into view of Mine.

"Delsin?!"

"Just face the music, Tatsumi. We're living with a group of women. You need to learn to be respectable and have some common sense."

"He's right, Tatsumi," said Sayo. She and Mine stood over Tatsumi, making him gulp.

"Try not to kill him," said Delsin over his shoulder. "Then we'd be down a man and I don't think my sanity can survive being flirted to by Leone _and _Bulat. Tatsumi takes some of the heat off of me."

"That's cold, Delsin," cried Tatsumi.

"Too bad!"

* * *

**(Outside the Compound)**

Celia watched Delsin in silence, smiling as he grinned at his new friends. She stood crouched on a tree a short distance from the compound that had a view of Delsin's room and the training ground. A day previously, she'd set up a cot so she could limit her falling. She wouldn't get hurt, but she would run the risk of getting caught. She smiled to herself as she tore a piece of bread she stole earlier and ate a piece, her mask delicately hanging from a branch nearby. She was about to take another bite when she heard a scream nearby. She turned around and saw the green haired boy's wires glinting slightly in the sunlight. _'Someone's been caught in his web. Poor child… Must've been the bitch my Delsin was with earlier. She doesn't know how to be stealthy when trailing someone, much too loud.'_ She turned back to the compound and saw Delsin and the group of assassins she now knew as Night Raid run out of the building.

"Two attacks in two days," shouted the green haired boy.

"Did a Tribal manage to hide from us," asked Delsin.

"Not likely. Even if they didn't get caught, they can still cause a small pull on my wires that were close to the ground and they step on it."

"Is it just the one," asked the blonde woman Celia had come to hate in just a day. _'The bitch keeps pushing herself on _my_ Delsin! She needs to die.'_

"As far as I can tell," said the green haired boy. "Yeah."

"Then let's go," said Delsin. He Smoke Dashed towards the direction he saw the wires struggling from, Night Raid behind him. Celia Papertrailed on the wind, keeping to the leaves and out of sight. Twice she needed to move higher as the girl with scarlet eyes glanced up. _'She's too cautious for her own good. I'll need to do something about her.'_ She followed Night Raid to a clearing she passed as she followed Delsin and stood on a branch, out of sight of the eagle eyed assassins.

Delsin moved a branch away and gasped. "Seryu?!"

"Delsin, get me down from here! Please!"

"Lubbock, get her down! She's a friend!" Delsin caught her as she was dropped from her suspended position and used his Smoke Heal to seal up her wounds. "There, other than some stinging, you should be fine."

"Thank you…"

"Now, why did you follow me here?"

"I didn't. Well, technically, I did. But I wasn't following you directly! There was some girl following you!"

"What girl," asked Delsin.

"I don't know who she was. But she was wearing this weird mask."

"Wait, mask?"

"Yeah, it was shaped like a rabbit."

"Celia?!"

"You know her?"

"Yeah. She worked for Augustine before going rogue. She's a deadly vigilante and assassin back home. Until earlier this week, she was uncatchable. My friends and I laid a trap. If she's here… We need to find her, now."

"Check the tree behind us," said Akame. "Someone's been following us in the tree tops since we left the compound." Celia cursed and hid further back in the leaves. Delsin looked up and saw a brief flash of a plaid skirt amidst the leaves.

"Bulat, throw me at the tree. Now." Bulat nodded and activated Incursio before grabbing the back of Delsin's jacket and hurling him towards the trees.

"Dammit," said Celia as she Papertrailed away to avoid getting caught. Delsin was able to spot her trail easily and Smoke Dashed after her, the trees making it harder for her to get away as she was pushed around trees, wasting him as Delsin's Smoke Dash took his form around a tree all at once without slowing, while she was slowed slightly by having to adjust course or grab a branch to pull herself up higher.

"Stop running, Celia!"

"Leave me alone, Delsin!"

"Not until you stop running!"

"Make me!"

"You know what?! Maybe I will!" Delsin fired a Cinder Rocket at a tree she was about to land on, breaking a branch and making her drop. She Papertrailed to a nearby clearing and rolled to a stop as she got too close to the ground. Delsin landed a few feet from her as she turned to him. The two Conduits circled each other as Night Raid and Seryu ran into the clearing. Delsin made sure Celia didn't have a clear shot at his friends before Smoke Dashing forward at the Paper Conduit. Celia saw this coming and Papertrailed on the wind, away from Delsin's swing and landed behind him. She kicked him in the back and formed Paper Blades on her hands, Papertrailing to the Night Raid assassins and the Imperial Guard. Delsin shot a Smoke Shot at her, which she avoided with ease. Akame and Bulat raced forward to meet the mysterious woman, only for her to jump over them, her blades slicing through the shoulders of Incursio, surprising the former Imperial Soldier. He gripped his armor as Akame blocked her paper blades with Murasame.

"Don't kill her," shouted Delsin. "Pin her down." Celia grinned and kicked Akame away before Papertrailing to Lubbock and kneeing him in the face. She grabbed Sheele's glasses and tossed them away before jumping over Mine. The sniper tried to aim Pumpkin at her, only to get hit in the shoulder with a Paper Shot, cutting her open. Tatsumi tried tackling her to the ground but was too slow. "Celia, stop this!"

"Do not tell me what to do, Delsin!" Celia lobbed a wad of paper at the group. It exploded and they were blinded. Seryu was left untouched, having jumped away.

"Koro, catch!" The biological Imperial Arm expanded and tried to grab hold of Celia. She simply ran up the dog's body, dropping a Paper Bomb on his face as she jumped at Seryu. The girl grinned as she pulled out two tonfas she had hidden behind her back after taking them from Koro before chasing after Delsin and Celia. She aimed her tonfa guns at the girl and pulled the triggers, aiming for her legs. Celia tried to Papertrail away, but the wind had died down and she was only paper for a brief second. Seryu's timing was perfect. The second she pulled the triggers on her tonfa guns, Celia's legs were riddled with bullets and the Conduit fell to the ground. Koro took the opportunity to pick her up in one massive hand.

"Damn," said Lubbock. "She's tough."

"She was holding back," said Delsin. "I've seen her handywork when she doesn't hold back. We'd all be dead if she wanted it, me included."

"Why would she hold back," asked Sheele as Tatsumi handed her back her glasses.

"I didn't want to upset _my_ Delsin," said Celia with a mad smile. "I'd never do anything to upset him."

"She's kinda obsessed with me. Has been since she saw me in Seattle," said Delsin. He turned to Koro. "Knock her out, please." Koro barked and flicked her head. The force of the blow knocked out the Paper Conduit and her head lolled backwards. "Ask Najenda to prepare a cell behind the waterfall." He turned to Lubbock. "Her powers will be dampened because of the lack of wind and damp air. She won't risk messing up her powers just to escape. They're too precious to her." Lubbock ran off as Akame took a look at Murasame and found two nicks where it met with Celia's Paper Blades.

"She damaged Murasame…"

"And Incursio," said Bulat as he rubbed his shoulders. "Damn. Never thought there could be anything sharp enough to do that!"

"That's Conduits for you," said Delsin as he sat on the ground. "Doing the unthinkable, not refunds or returns."

"Can you explain things now," asked Seryu. "I think I deserve an explanation."

"Sure. Let's just get back to the compound."

"Am I allowed?"

"That's up to the boss. She'll need to speak with you and decide if you're allowed to stay now that you know our location."

"Or what, you'll kill me?"

"More like lock you up and put you to work until we move base," said Leone.

"Comforting."

"Just plead your case when you meet her," said Delsin.

"Ok." Delsin walked beside her as the others led the way back. "While we're walking, you can explain."

"Oh, come on. I said when we get to the compound."

"No, you said 'let's just get back to the compound' not 'I'll tell you at the compound'."

"Alright, alright. You win. Now, where to start?"

"How about from the beginning?"

"Fair. Well first thing you need to know is, I'm not from this world…"

* * *

**(Author's Notes)**

**OK, I now know exactly where I'm taking this story. I want your opinion on how I handled Celia's abilities. In game we know she is a very skilled Conduit, and effective assassin and wanted to show that against Night Raid We don't ever get to see Celia in action in game except when she Papertrails away from Delsin, and I want to know how I handled her using her powers. For those people wondering, Delsin will be getting his Imperial Arm soon. It won't happen in one or two chapters, so you have time to vote. I know the poll hasn't been up, that's because I keep forgetting to swap out the polls on my profile. By the time you finish reading this, it will be posted on my profile again. Leave a vote on which kind of Imperial Arm Delsin receives. Thank you for reading, please leave your thoughts in a review and keep an eye out for updates and new stories. Until next time, y'all!**


	5. Kill the Head Hunter

**(Seattle)**

* * *

Eugene and Amalia were sitting at the computers the DUP had set up to monitor the Rift as Zeke spoke with Samantha. "I'm telling you," he shouted. "I heard him! I heard Cole!"

"Zeke, as much as I want to believe you, Cole is dead. You said so yourself."

"I know, but we're not exactly dealing with normal anymore, are we? We've got a fricking whole in _time_ and _space_! One that Delsin Rowe disappeared through two weeks ago! It's a fricking miracle that this thing hasn't collapsed on itself yet! We have no idea where Delsin ended up, and for all we know, Cole could end up here!"

"It's a big if," said Amalia, munching on some candy as she typed with one hand. "From what I'm reading about this thing, it's both unstable and completely stable all at once. It's like Schrodinger's Cat. I've never seen anything like this before. And it's exciting!"

"That's not how I'd describe it," said Fetch as she wiped her mouth dry after coming from the bathroom. A few days after Samantha pretty much ordered her to see the DUP's physician, Fetch finally swallowed her pride and saw them. She hadn't liked the news. Everyone's suspicions had been correct. She was pregnant, and there was no doubt in anyone's mind who the father was. Fetch didn't know what to feel. On one hand, she was ecstatic. She was going to be a mother. On the other hand, the chances that she'd be raising her child alone, with Delsin trapped God knows where, were starting to get to her. "What's taking so long on trying to keep this thing open?"

"Unless you want to create an explosion so big it makes the Blast in Empire City look like a fucking M-80, wait. This will take time and delicate hands, like mine!" She finished with a smile and Fetch shook her head.

"Geek, your girlfriend is annoying."

"So I've been told."

"You're not the first to say so!"

"Uh," said Zeke. "Little lady? You mind watching your language?"

"God, you sound like my dad! I'll speak how I want, thank you very much!"

"And I respect that. I just…"

"Just drop it, Dunbar," said Samantha. "Ms. Crowe, is there anything you may need us to procure for your idea to work?"

"Yeah. I need a way to generate gale force winds in an enclosed space so that a special turbine can send energy into the rift. Honestly, it's the best idea I can think of. It would take me years to figure out how to convert neon light and digital constructs into a power source large enough to maintain a temporal/spatial rift, and even then it would only be enough energy to maybe keep it open for about an hour before the resulting lack of energy would make it collapse even more."

"I think there's an Air Conduit somewhere in Chicago," said one of the Knights with them. "What better place for them to hide than the Windy City, right?"

"Get me that Conduit," Amalia said to Samantha. "And maybe, I can keep this rift open indefinitely. But I'm not sure we'd like the results."

"What do you mean," asked Samantha.

"I mean this rift is more than just a doorway. It's an open wound. Right now, it's trying to heal, but we're talking about opening it up wider and risking an infection that could permanently damage the body, or in this case, time and space itself. For all we know, keeping this thing open will cause something bad to happen. Something that could spell the end for all of us."

"Then maybe we don't keep it open for a long time," said Eugene. "Just long enough to bring Delsin back, if we can find him."

"And Cole," said Zeke. "I left my brother once, back in Empire City. I'm not doing that again."

"Zeke," said Samantha. "If you did hear Cole, then we can't bring him back for two reasons."

"And those reasons are?"

"If it is our Cole, then bringing him here before he fights the Beast in New Marais, then humanity could soon be destroyed by the plague that follows it everywhere it goes while Conduits are the only beings left alive. And if it's not, if it's an alternate version of Cole, one who could potentially be evil, a Conduit Supremist who would easily turn his back on you, hell, he probably already did."

"No way, not Cole! He had the most humanity out of any of us!"

"Be that as it may, we can't risk it!"

"Yet we can risk trying to get Delsin back…" Zeke cringed as soon as he finished speaking. Fetch punched Zeke in the face, breaking his nose and ran out, neon trailing behind her. Amalia helped him stand.

"You can't say you didn't deserve that," said Eugene.

"Believe me kid, I know." Zeke sighed as he sank into a chair. "When she's calmed down, can you track her? I should apologize."

"Yeah. I'll do that." Amalia did one last check at the readings as Samantha answered a call on her business phone.

"This is Director Evans, go ahead." Eugene turned to her as her eyes widened. "What?! Are you sure?!"

"What's wrong," asked Eugene.

"The plans for the Ray Sphere were locked away in DUP evidence lock up. It's heavily guarded, so no one could've gotten through. And guess what's missing."

"Sonofabitch," said Zeke. "Dammit, as if things weren't bad enough… Now we've got a potential Blast 3.0 and a whole new batch of Conduits?!"

"Not only that," said Amalia. "We may have another Beast to deal with if the wrong person is activated."

* * *

**(Several Miles Outside Imperial Capital)**

Delsin watched as Mine tried to replicate his freeclimbing and slipped off of an improper foothold "Gahh!" Delsin Smoke Dashed and stopped right under her, catching her before she could hit the ground.

"Genius sniper, maybe. Parkour master, you are not." Mine blushed and thrashed in his arms.

"Put me down!"

"As you wish." Delsin dropped her and she groaned

"You did that on purpose!"

"You said put you down."

"I didn't mean drop me, idiot!"

"Could you be any louder," asked Seryu as she walked into the courtyard training area. "I don't think they heard you in the Northern Tribes."

"Hey, Seryu," said Delsin. "How're things in the Guard?"

"We've been having a bit of trouble. There's a serial killer in the Capital."

"Then I guess the intel is true," said Najenda as she walked over. "Good to see you again, Seryu."

"Hello!" Seryu smiled. In the two weeks since Delsin told her everything, she'd been visiting the compound on her days off, getting to know Night Raid's members and ultimately growing to respect them. While she couldn't take their killing people lightly, she understood, in some small way, they were delivering justice to those who were never given it, especially at her hands. "And I take it you already know about him?"

"Zanku, yes." She turned to Delsin. "He's the former executioner for the Empire. After some time, he started to take a liking to killing people, criminals and guards alike. He stole an Imperial Arm from the prison's warden and went on a killing spree."

"He disappeared for a few years," said Seryu. "Bounty hunters chased after him constantly, none of them finding him, those that did were found dead, their heads missing. Eventually, the hunters gave up. Now, he's back in the Capital and the same gruesome murders have started up again. Damien was one of them."

"He was with us during the raid, right," asked Delsin.

"Yeah. He was the one who almost gave us up for the criminal's gold."

"Sorry, Seryu."

"It's fine." She turned to Najenda. "Please tell me you're going after him."

"We are, in fact. He's a danger to the common people as well as the guard. Night Raid has been tasked by the generals of the Revolutionary Army to assassinate Zanku." She turned back to Delsin. "Which is why I was looking for you. I know you have your reservations about killing, but given this enemy…"

"You want me to go all out against him if we cross paths, don't you?"

"Yes. He has an Imperial Arm. And we don't know which one it is. You can't play this one as you normally would. Zanku is too dangerous to leave alive."

"If, and that's a big if, we cross paths. He'll more than likely be trying to kill me. That falls under the classification of self-defense. And I doubt we'll be crossing paths."

"Considering you don't know that for sure… be careful. If you happen upon him trying to kill someone, save them and take him out. Understand?"

"You got it, Boss," sighed the Conduit. "Good. Seryu, are you on patrol tonight?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Najenda chuckled as she saluted.

"No need to salute, Seryu. You're not officially under my command. Technically, you're under Delsin's. But I'll make a suggestion. Can you arrange the guards patrols away from our own? We can't risk a three way fight between us, the guard and Zanku."

"Got it! You can count on me!" Delsin grinned and turned to Najenda. "Who're the teams tonight?"

"Tatsumi is pairing off with mine. Lubbock is with Bulat, and Leone with Sheele. You'll be paired up with Akame."

"Alright. Seryu, if any guards report hearing a fight, then play it cautiously and assume it's us fighting Zanku."

"Right! I'll head back to the Capital now! You coming?"

"I'll head out with Akame in a bit. I need to check on Celia."

"Are you sure that's wise," asked Najenda.

"She hasn't tried to escape in a week, I think she's realized she'd be caught as soon as she got passed the waterfall. I'll be fine. Just tell Akame to meet me at the entrance if I'm not back in thirty minutes."

"Alright, Delsin." Najenda walked away as Seryu turned to her friend and moral compass.

"Do you want me to go with you?"

"No, I'll be fine. Get to your post so you don't get in trouble, alright?"

"Got it." Seryu ran off and Delsin sighed.

"Better get this over with…" Delsin walked over to the waterfall by the compound and slipped through running water, shaking water out of his hair and wringing his beanie after doing so. "Me and my bright ideas…"

"Hello, Delsin…" came a deranged, yet slightly seductive, call. Delsin looked up and saw Celia leaning against the wall away from her cell door. She smiled manically at him. Not taking any chances, Delsin stood a few feet away from the cell door. Celia could've easily cut through the metal bars and then escaped, albeit with her powers knocked out for a while. "Come to visit me, I see?"

"Just checking up on you. I have some questions for you."

"Ask away, dear Delsin."

"How did you get here? The rift that brought me here closed up on this side. And for that matter, you were supposed to be locked up back at the Seattle police headquarters."

"I got here the same way you did, Delsin." She sidled up to the bars and smiled sweetly. "I was sitting in my cell, like a good girl, waiting for the right opportunity to escape when a rift opened next to me. I slipped through and found myself here. Imagine my surprise when I saw you and those, what were they called? Imperial Guards? Yes, that's it. I saw you taking on that gang and then followed you. The rest is history…"

"I'm surprised you haven't been attacking people."

"Oh, I did. That friend of yours, Seryu, was it? I get the feeling she and I would get along splendidly…"

"Stay away from her. She's nothing like you?"

"Oh no? We both have a strong feeling of justice in our hearts, we both would do anything to see justice done, and we both don't have any reservations about killing those who deserve it. Like those Anti-Conduit politicians I took out back in Seattle. The ones who wanted to take down everything you were building up."

"Don't pin that on me. You were killing them before I arrived, all for your adopted mother, Augustine."

"Someone's done their homework, have they?" She pressed her face against the bars and licked her lips. "Read anything about me you liked?"

"Can't say I did. Besides, I'm taken."

"Oh, yes… Her…" Celia pushed away from the bars and turned away from him. "You've killed my mood. I don't want to talk to you anymore… for today, at least." Delsin shook his head and left the makeshift cell. Celia glanced at him as he left and grinned. She formed a small Paper blade on her finger and started filing on the bars.

Once more, wringing his beanie dry, Delsin groaned and tried igniting his smoke for a shot, only for his hand to release small streams. "Yeah, that's what I figured. Smoke and water do not mix. Neither does Paper, or electricity. Neon and Video, maybe, still don't know what I got from the Lucy Kuo chick."

"Talking to yourself," asked someone behind him. He jumped and turned around to see Akame.

"Ok, we gotta talk about you sneaking up on me."

"Sorry. Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, just let me get a quick recharge."

"You should switch to paper."

"And why is that?"

"If we're going up against Zanku, something like Paper, which can damage Imperial Arms, would be more useful than Smoke."

"I'm not trying to kill the guy, not unless he gives me a reason to."

"Killing innocent civilians isn't enough?"

"No it is… but…" Delsin sighed. "I don't kill lightly. Back home, there was talk of Conduits losing their morals the more they used their powers. And with my powers, it's so easy to lose myself when using them." Delsin leaned against a tree as he emitted smoke from his fingers. "When I first got these powers, I was so scared. All I wanted was to get rid of them. For seven years all everyone heard about was how the Conduits, the Bioterrorists, were evil monsters. Using their powers to lord over people. Conduits were beaten, lynched, killed! I didn't want that to be me. At first, I just used my powers to defend myself and run. And then I saw the Dups firing on the civilians and…"

"And you couldn't just sit back and watch, could you?"

"No. I had to help them. I literally jumped in front of a bullet to save someone I didn't know. This was before I figured out how to suppress the strength of my shots. I killed the DUP Pawns to get them to stop and healed whoever I could. Then I saw the Dups I had killed and… I couldn't handle it. I ran. Eventually, I learned to hold back, to show restraint. My brother helped me with it as well." Idly, Delsin thumbed his brother's badge. "If we encounter Zanku, I can't be the one to kill him. I can't."

"What if he's too much for me to handle?" Delsin chuckled.

"You're kidding, right?" He smiled at her. "You're the only person who's even gotten close to killing me on their own. Augustine couldn't do it. Her damned Kings couldn't do it. You did. And I doubt that Zanku stands a chance against you." Akame blushed lightly as Delsin praised her. In last few weeks, she'd found herself doing that a lot, with no explanation why. "Come on. We should head to the Capital soon."

"Right." The hero and the assassin took off, ready to hunt down the serial killer. After arriving in the Capital, shortly after nightfall, they took to the roof tops to get a better look at the streets below. Akame looked at Delsin. "Have you ever encountered someone like Zanku before?"

"You mean a deranged killer? Just look at who we have locked up behind the waterfall."

"I mean someone who kills for the sake of killing, not a misguided sense of right and wrong."

"Not really. Where I come from, killing isn't a norm unless you're a soldier. Any serial killer is dealt with by the police."

"You were never asked to handle them?"

"There hasn't really been a Conduit serial killer, other than Celia who really only targeted Anti-Conduit men and women. All the serial killers have been normal humans with some kind of mental disorder." Delsin looked around before turning to Akame. "We should ask around, try and find someone who's seen anything suspicious. 'The walls have eyes' after all."

"Alright. But I'll stick to the alleys. I'm still wanted, remember?"

"Right. You do that. I'll ask around." Delsin went into a shop.

"Hi," called the girl behind the counter with a smile. "Welcome to Marvelous Wares! How can I help you?!"

"Hi there, gorgeous. I got a question for you." The girl blushed at his compliment and grin and fiddled with a lock of hair.

"S-sure. What's the question?"

"Have you seen anyone… I don't know, suspicious, recently? Someone with a crazed look in his eyes?"

"Um…" she glanced behind her at a back office before leaning forward to whisper to him. "Other than my boss' creepy stares whenever he sees me, no. Sorry."

"It's alright. Here." He placed a few gold coins on the counter in front of her. "For your help."

"Oh, thanks!" She took the coins and hid them in a pocket in the apron she had on. "If you see something find me in the slums. I've been helping with the sick and injured there."

"Are you like the Banner Man?! The guy who took out the gang there?!"

"Uh… Banner Man?"

"Yeah! The gang was apprehended by the Imperial Guard, and a day later, a mural of the Capital was painted on the side of their hideout! People have been calling him the Banner Man because of it!"

"Uh… did not know that… Anyways. If you ever need help, come find me, alright?"

"Ok!" Delsin left the shop and shook his head. _'What, is Banner Man universal or something?! I mean, come on! I didn't even paint a flag this time!'_ Delsin was about to head back to the alley he left Akame in when he heard laughter.

"Talk about bad luck, huh D?!" Delsin looked up at a rooftop and spotted a familiar head of short pink colored hair grinning down at him.

"Fetch?! What are you doing here?!" Delsin saw her smile again and move back from the edge of the roof top. "Wait, Fetch!" Delsin climbed up to the roof and looked around, seeing her jump to another roof. Wait up!" Delsin Smoke Dashed to catch up to her. _'Why isn't she using her powers? Is she trying to conserve energy?'_ Delsin finally caught up to her as she stood still and paused before getting too close. Something was off about her.

"Come here, D," said Fetch with a sweet voice. One that Delsin immediately was wary of.

"I don't know who the hell you are, but you're definitely not Fetch." 'Fetch' frowned before her form changed from his girlfriend back in Seattle to that of a tall grinning man with two bladed weapons on his hands and a headpiece that looked like an eye.

"Very perceptive, my friend. Tell me, what gave me away?"

"Fetch never speaks to me in the way that illusion did. She's more… flirty, rather than sweet sounding. I'm gonna take a guess and say that you're…"

"Headhunter Zanku."

"Right… so that thing on your head is an Imperial Arm, right?"

"Very good. Yes, this is Omnipotent Five Sights Spectator. You almost fell victim to my Illusion Sight, though I don't know how. It should've shown you who you care about the most from your memories."

"Yeah, well, the inner machinations of my mind are an enigma." Delsin Smoke Dashed at Zanku, already swinging as he turned solid, only to see one of Zanku's blades coming for his side. Immediately, he Smoke Dashed away. _'Dammit, how the hell did he do that? Can that Imperial Arm read my mind?'_

"Bingo! It's one of Spectator's Five Sights. Insight allows me to read your mind and predict what you're going to do next."

"Neat trick. I've got a few of my own, wanna see?"

"Oh, please. You're welcome to try! I'd love a good challenge for once!" Delsin grinned and held up his hand.

"Then think fast!" Delsin fired a few Smoke Shots at Zanku, who proceeded to block them with his blades, allowing Delsin to get in close again, this time with his shield in front of him, rather than swinging with his chain. Zanku grinned and slashed downward, only to hit Smoke as Delsin Dashed around him and brought his chain around the former executioners neck to strangle him. Zanku growled and pried the chain from his neck, throwing Delsin away from him. The Draining Conduit grinned as he swung his chain in a circle. "What's the matter, man?! I thought you wanted a challenge."

"I do. And you're proving to be one. I guess I'll have to take this a little more seriously." Delsin brought his shield up again as Zanku charged him. Delsin felt him slam his blades into the shield multiple times in rapid succession and bashed him back.

"Damn, you're fast man!"

"And you are deceptively strong. Men the same build as you have buckled under that barrage in the past."

"Well, perks of being me, I guess." Delsin tried to Dash again, but groaned as he collapsed on the ground, some marks starting to creep up his arm. "Oh no, come on…"

"Oh, feeling weakened are we? Too bad for you!" Zanku charged, blades aimed to remove Delsin's head. Delsin tried to bring his shield up, but his arm was too weak. _'Dammit, it can't end here! I have to get home!'_ A blur crossed his vision as Akame dashed between him and Zanku.

"Delsin, are you ok?" Delsin looked at his arm and saw the markings starting to recede.

"I don't know… I need to back off and heal."

"Go, I got him."

"Ah, Akame," said Zanku. "I've been wanting to face you for a while." Delsin Smoke Dashed away and groaned as he looked at his arm again. The markings were up to just passed his wrist and staying in place.

"Oh, god dammit. Is this Murasame's Curse thing?" Delsin groaned and leaned against a wall.

"Eugene," shouted Seryu. Delsin looked up and saw her running over, one of the guards from the raid trailing behind her. "Eugene, what's wrong?"

"Me and… my partner are fighting Zanku. My Smoke is failing right now. I need to switch out."

"To what?"

"Paper. I need speed to beat this guy!"

"Ayumi, go get some of those wanted posters, hurry!"

"Yes, ma'am!" The girl ran off and Seryu went to Delsin.

"Delsin, what's going on?"

"Well, remember when I told you I fought Akame first time I met the team? She nicked my hand and… well…" He held up his hand and showed the markings.

"Oh my god…"

"I managed to push it back once by absorbing smoke. But there's no torches nearby. Paper will have to do."

"Here," shouted Ayumi as she ran back over with a stack of papers. Delsin held out his hand and absorbed the stack. The markings on his hand instantly went away and he regained his strength.

"Ok, I'm back in the fight. You two, hang back. This is going to get dangerous."

"We're backing you up," said Seryu.

"Don't. His Imperial Arm, it can read minds, make illusions, and I wouldn't be surprised if he could see through solid matter and read muscle movement. Right now, I need to get the drop on him."

"We're coming, like it or not!"

"Not both of you. Ayumi, can you go and make sure the other guards stay back until the fighting is done? Give us thirty minutes, tops!"

"Got it!" Ayumi ran off and Delsin turned to Seryu when she was out of earshot.

"Akame's fighting Zanku alone. We should be there to help her."

"Got it. No wonder you wanted Ayumi out of the way."

"Honestly, I didn't like her odds of surviving this fight. Akame being wanted didn't even occur to me." They ran over to the courtyard Akame and Zanku were fighting in and saw Akame on the backfoot. "What's going on? Akame's faster than he is. Why is she being pushed back?"

"Maybe the illusions got to her?"

"Whatever the case, let's help her." He picked Koro from her shoulder. "Koro, up for a game of reverse catch?"

"Arf!"

"Good boy." Delsin chucked the biological Imperial Arm as hard as he could.

"Koro, expand," shouted Seryu. Koro grew in size and Zanku turned to the Imperial Arm as it flew to him after he disarmed and injured Akame by stabbing her in the shoulder.

"Akame," Delsin Papertrailed over to her as Koro hit Zanku away and tried to bite down on the man's arm. "Come on, please work." Delsin placed his arm on her shoulder and tried healing like he did with his other powers. Paper seemed to stitch her wound closed and wrapped around it before disappearing and revealing a fully healed arm without any scar whatsoever. "Are you ok?"

"Y-yeah."

"Good. Stay back for now. I'll handle him." He turned to Zanku as the man evaded a punch from Koro. Delsin picked up Murasame.

"Delsin don't," warned Akame as he chucked the blade at Zanku with Koro in the way.

"Koro, shrink," shouted Seryu as Zanku tried charge at Koro, aiming to stab him in the head. Zanku narrowly avoided getting scratched by the cursed blade as Delsin Fired Paper Spears where he might've evaded to on either side of the sword's path. Zanku got a blade up to block a spear and gasped in shock as it was cut in half, the shock turning into pain and anger as he was impaled in the shoulder.

"You'll pay for that!"

"Not before you pay for all the lives you've ended, pal!" Delsin Papertrailed when the wind shifted towards Zanku who grinned and raised his remaining blade, cutting Delsin's arm holding the shield. The sound of clanking metal filled the air as the shield dropped.

"You may have changed your powers, but I figured out how your dash works with this one instantly. The leaves in the trees behind you shifted towards me and you immediately came towards me. And your attack was obvious this time. Your eyes easily gave your destination and target away."

"Telling me my flaws in the middle of a fight, are you trying to give me a better chance to beat you?" _'That damn eye is seeing everything in this battlefield. Fine, if my eyes are giving me away, then let's get rid of that little dilemma.'_ Delsin waved his hand in front of his face and a paper mask in the form of an eagle formed on his head. "Akame, Seryu, back me up!" Delsin let his chain dangle in his hand and channeled his power through it, pieces of paper appearing on the metal. Delsin Papertrailed again as the wind shifted and swung as he stayed in his dash. Zanku raised his blade and blocked the chain.

"You should've stuck with those spears! You can't kill me with that!"

"I'm not trying to kill you!"

"Ki-yah," shouted Seryu as she kicked Zanku in the head. "Koro, tackle!" Zanku jumped away as the Imperial Arm charged at him, snarling the entire time.

"Expecting to beat me with numbers?! You're not the first to try!"

"But we'll be the last," said Akame as she seemingly appeared behind him. Zanku turned around, ready to block her sword as Delsin shattered it with a Paper Spear.

"No…" Akame sliced Zanku across the chest, her blade slicing through the fastenings holding Spectator to his head. Delsin caught the stone eye as it fell to the ground, its former master dropping as well. "The voices… they're finally silent… thank you… Akame…" Delsin watched as the same marking on his hand surrounded Zanku's body. _'Jesus. That's going to happen to me, isn't it?'_

"Akame, you should get out of here," said Seryu. "The other guards are bound to have heard the fighting stop. I can explain Delsin, but you're another story."

"Don't worry," said Delsin. "The guards know me. I've been helping with the illegal drug trade since the raid. I'll meet you back at the base. Actually, wait."

"What is it," asked the scarlet eyed assassin.

"Punch me."

"What?!"

"Give me a black eye, something. Seryu, sorry in advance for this."

"Sorry for what…?" Delsin picked her up and threw her into a stone pillar behind him, winding her. He picked up Koro.

"Play dead, Koro." He tossed the small dog-like creature at Seryu and it collapsed into her lap, tongue lolling out of its mouth.

"We need to make it look like we tried to capture you, but you got the drop on us after killing Zanku. Understand?"

"Are you sure?"

"Unless you've got another explanation for the curse markings. Now hurry up and deck me." Nodding, Akame gave him a single punch to the eye, and Delsin was knocked into the pillar next to Seryu, blacking out immediately as Akame ran off, scooping up Spectator as she did.

* * *

**(Author's Notes)**

**Alright! So, due to its rising popularity, Kill the Conduit will now have a regular update alongside my two Harry Potter stories, Revival of Soul Magic and it's AU InFAMOUS crossover, Birth of Technomancy. If you're regular readers of those, you've probably found a small nod to them here. After this uploads, the poll will remain up for about three days, after which, I will officially close it. Delsin's Imperial Arm will be revealed in a few chapters, whether it is a cannon Teigu or one of my own design, is up to you. Vote while you can, readers. Your input will affect how the story progresses for Delsin. And because I've got your attention, it's time for me to give a couple of bonus scenes before you click out of here.**

Dr. Stylish went over the blueprints and frowned. "Dammit! This would be such a glorious device! Oh, if only I could find the right metals to craft it! I need someone with a better understanding of this than myself! Oh, I know! I think I'll write a letter to Dorothea a call!" Stylish laughed madly as he hugged the blueprints to his chest. "Soon, the Ray Sphere will be complete!"

* * *

**(Alternate Earth)**

The Beast roared as he destroyed yet another tank. Whatever was left of the world's military forces tried, in vain, to kill him. He couldn't say for certain, but he thought the total population of this world was now in the ten thousands. Humans and Conduits, all trying to kill him and the only man capable of doing so was nowhere to be seen. "WHERE ARE YOU COLE?! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR SO LONG! YOUR FAMILY IS DEAD! YOUR FRIENDS ARE EVISCERATED! YOU HAVE NOTHING LEFT! LET ME KILL YOU! PUT YOU OUT OF YOUR MISERY!" He roared again and a blast of sound shattered a skyscraper that had, miraculously remained standing amidst his rampage. As it fell, The Beast's eyes rose to the sky and noticed a peculiar sight. "What is that?" As he watched it, the rift collapsed, but not before it released a sound.

"I'm right here, bastard. Come and get me," said the gravely voice of Cole MacGrath.

"COLE!" The Beast tried to release a shot at the rift, but found it closed. "GET BACK HERE COWARD! LET ME FINISH YOU!"

* * *

**Until Next time, Y'all!**


	6. Kill the Information

Delsin groaned and sat up in the cot he found himself in. "Damn… what hit me…?"

"Akame," said Seryu in a cot beside him. He turned to her and found her glaring at him, her head covered in bandages.

"Oh… I did that, didn't I?"

"Yes, you asshole!" Seryu hit him repeatedly on the arm. "Koro, bite him!"

"Arf," said the Imperial Arm as it clamped onto Delsin's arm.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow!" Shouted Delsin as he hit at Koro's nose, knocking him off.

"Ok, I get it. I'm sorry."

"That's better, isn't it Koro?"

"Arf." Delsin groaned and absorbed a paper from a stack beside him to heal up.

"Where are we?"

"The Imperial Guard Infirmary," said Seryu. "Ayumi found us and got some of the guard to carry us here. Great General Budo is in the next room over. He wants to speak with you about your… activities."

"What activities?"

"Vigilante activities," said a deep voice from the door to the room. Delsin turned and saw a tall man with short blonde hair wearing heavy armor and a red cape. Delsin gulped slightly as he found himself being scowled at by the man. "So, you're this 'Banner Man' I've been receiving reports about."

"Um… I actually go by…"

"I don't care. I've been getting reports from patrols in the slums and market districts that someone wearing a strange red hat and equally strange blue jacket with a white bird on it has been taking on the gangs in those districts. And look what I have here in front of me. A man with a strange hat and a jacket with a white bird."

"Well… you caught me…"

"So I have. But something tells me keeping you would cause an entire series of problems, not only for the Guard, but for the people of the Capital as well."

"Meaning…?"

"Let me put it this way. You arrived here barely two weeks ago, and in that time, you've taken out and apprehended one of the most illusive drug traffickers in my city, found out which of my men had been accepting bribes to allow these criminals to run free, and have given the people something they haven't felt in a long time, hope. You've also been taking out the people who would try and fill the power gap in the criminal underworld. If I were to take you in, not only would criminal activity rise in those districts within the city, but the people would start wondering what happened to you. They'd blame one of two people, the gangs, who haven't had much luck taking you out at all, or the guard, and will strike out at us.

"If that happens, those innocent people will get killed by the more aggressive guardsmen who wouldn't think kindly about civilians attacking them. I'd then be forced to put the city under Martial Law and snuff out whoever is acting against the Empire. Which would mean more people dead. My job is to protect not only the emperor, but the citizens of the empire as well."

"So, what do we do now?"

"I'm letting you go, on the condition that you either stop these vigilante activities or join the Guard."

"You want me to join the Guard?"

"Sergeant Ubiquitous, here, has told me you're a man of great character, and good judgement. And with you joining the Guard, it would mean the people's newfound hope would be with the Guard and not a vigilante who thinks himself above the law."

"Hey, I don't see myself as above the law. I do what I do to protect people, and it seems I'm doing the Guards job better than they ever could. Uh… present company excluded." Budo chuckled softly as Seryu glared and kicked at the man in front of him. "So, can I get back to you on it? I need to sleep on it."

"By all means, take as much time as you need. In the meantime, cease your vigilante activities."

"And let the gangs get more power?! Are you nuts?!"

"We'll handle them, Mr. Simms. The Guard can't have a vigilante running around doing their job for them."

"No offense, General, but the Guard can't be everywhere at once," said Seryu. "Eugene might be able to help with that, in the Market and Slum districts, at least. Make sure he keeps crime low there and reports any detained criminals to nearby guardsmen."

"You want a vigilante to do our job, Sergeant?"

"Sir! You can ask anyone from the raid! He fought with us and trusted us to help him take down the gang! He's earned our respect and admiration, sir!" Seryu finished with a salute. Budo stared her down before sighing. He walked to the door.

"Do all of you feel as she does," he asked as he opened the door. Delsin spotted the remaining survivors of the raid, Ayumi included scrambling to attention and saluting to the General.

"Sir, yes sir," they said as one. Budo sighed and Delsin thought he saw the man age in an instant.

"Then let's come up with a compromise. Eugene Simms. You may continue your vigilante activities, but only in the Slums and Market district. Any activity discovered outside of those districts, and you will be treated as the very criminals you're fighting against. The Guard will hunt you down, and we will apprehend you and lock you in a cell for breaking the law."

"If you can catch me, that is," said Delsin with a grin.

"If we can catch you. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes we do, General." Delsin grasped the man's wrist and shook, instinctively absorbing power from the oversized gauntlets the general wore without anyone, even him, noticing.

"And to be clear. We know about your smoke and paper abilities, Mr. Simms. Corporal Ayumi and the late Private Damien gave their reports about your strange powers. We'll know if you've been anywhere but your designated areas."

"Got it. Can I go now?"

"First, I need your statement. Sergeant Ubiquitous stated in her report that you said you were fighting the notorious serial killer, Head Hunter Zanku, with the intent of turning him in. But when Corporal Ayumi found you, you and Sergeant Ubiquitous were found unconscious, and Zanku was found dead with markings covering his body. I've heard the events from her, now I need to hear your side of the story."

'_Crap! If my story and Seryu's don't match up, we're done for. Gotta be smart about this.'_ "Well, I was just walking around, trying to find anything to do, when I heard a scream. I ran over and ran passed a woman who was scared for her life. I was about to ask what was wrong when I saw a man with two blades fighting a woman with a katana. Delsin noticed Seryu nod slightly out of Budo's field of view. _'So she kept Akame in her report. Makes this easier.'_ "I joined the fight as the man mentioned he was Head Hunter Zanku, earlier in the day, Seryu had mentioned how there was a serial killer by that name on the loose. She said he was the one who killed Damien.

"At first, I didn't know who the woman was, I just knew she was fighting a man who killed for pleasure. As we were fighting, Zanku attempted to use mental tactics to turn me against her so he wasn't facing two people at the same time anymore. Eventually, my smoke was depleted, and I had to retreat temporarily to either recharge my smoke or swap out my ability. That's when I encountered Seryu and Ayumi. I proceeded to switch to Paper and me and Seryu went to apprehend Zanku. We arrived in time to find Zanku dead and Seryu identified the woman as Akame of Night Raid. As Seryu identified her, she moved quickly and threw Seryu into a pillar before punching me. That punch knocked me out. Then I woke up here." Delsin noticed Seryu let out a small breath and an equally small smile as his version of events matched up perfectly with her own.

"Alright then. Sergeant Ubiquitous, escort Mr. Simms out. And when you're done, you've got a few days off to recover."

"Yes, sir!" Seryu saluted and Budo went towards the rooms exit. He turned to the Guards from the raid still standing there.

"What are you doing just standing around?! Get back to your posts!" With that, the guards went back to their duties. Delsin let out a sigh.

"That was close. I thought I would've fucked that one up."

"It's a good thing you didn't. We'd both be in a lot of danger if you did."

"I know." Delsin got up from his cot and went to heal Seryu. Instead of Paper, however, he used Pulse Heal, like Cole did in the old Empire City recordings. "What the…?"

"Was that lightning?"

"I think so. But when did I absorb lightning?"

"It might've been from General Budo's Imperial Arm. Adramelech. It's a powerful Imperial Arm that can generate and control lighting."

"And is likely the only reliable source of electricity in the world. Great." Delsin moved to absorb more paper when Seryu stopped him. "Wait. While we're here, you should follow me."

"Where are we going?"

"The Armory."

"Why? I've got my chain and…" Delsin quickly realized what was missing. "Hey, hey, hey! Where's my stuff?!"

"Confiscated. General Budo claimed they were now evidence and would be kept in evidence lock up until they were done with their formal investigation. He said you could borrow a weapon and shield from the Armory in the meantime."

"Oh, great." Delsin sighed. "Alright, let's get this over with." Delsin followed Seryu through the halls of the Imperial Palace, passing guards and servants alike. Delsin looked around. "Never understood why rich people need such large places to live."

"It's to show off."

"I believe it." As they walked, Delsin spotted a man with a long gray beard, a fat belly, and an ever present grin on his face, speaking with a child wearing regal clothes. "I take it that's the Emperor and Prime Minister Honest?"

"Yeah. Don't draw their attention right now. We don't…"

"Yo!" Seryu paused as she turned around and saw Delsin walking towards the two people in ruling the country.

"Dammit, Delsin," she said under her breath.

"Hey, can either of you two help me out here?"

"Eugene," called Seryu as she ran after the man. The Emperor turned to him.

"Oh, hello!" Delsin smiled at the kid. "I haven't seen you before."

"I'm Eugene Simms."

"Oh, you're the man General Budo was speaking of earlier!"

"Oh, so you've heard of me. Good to meet you." Delsin extended his hand and immediately retracted it as two swords were aimed at his neck by the Emperor's personal guards. "Whoa! Easy!"

"Step away from the Emperor," said one of the guards.

"Take it easy, I'm not trying to hurt him, I'm just trying to shake his hand!"

"It's alright," said the Emperor. "He can get close." Delsin knocked a sword away from him, annoyed as Seryu stayed a bit back. The Emperor shook Delsin's hand. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Simms! I hear you're the one who painted that mural I saw the other day!"

"Uh… I can neither confirm nor deny that." The Emperor smiled and laughed as Delsin evaded the question.

"You're a funny man, Mr. Simms."

"Just call me Eugene. Mr. Simms makes me sound old."

"Alright Eugene."

"Your highness," said the Prime Minister. "We have a schedule to keep, if you don't mind."

"Alright, uncle." The Prime Minister started walking away and Delsin got an idea in his head.

"Hey, Kid Emperor, can you do me a favor?"

"Sure, Eugene. As long as I know what you're asking for is doable."

"Oh, it certainly is. See, I've been helping the people in the slums for a bit. And, well a lot of them are starving. I figured you could send some guards to bring food to them and help them out."

"But uncle says they don't deserve the food we have in our food stores."

"He does, does he? Well, who is he to dictate that? You're the Emperor, right?"

"Last time I checked."

"Then you can do it, no problem. Just procure it from your uncle's personal stores. Delsin internally grinned as Honest stiffened. "He obviously needs to eat less, or he could die from a heart attack. You wouldn't want that, would you."

"Oh, heavens no! Uncle, kindly give your personal food stores to the people in the slums, would you?" Honest turned around and Delsin could tell he was barely holding in his anger.

"You're highness, I don't think they'd like my usual cuisine, it's much too fatty."

"Where I come from, we have a saying. Beggars can't be choosers," said Delsin. "If you're starving, you don't question what kind of food you get unless it's something like human flesh. And it doesn't seem fair that your uncle gets to keep all of that food, most of which will go to waste, now will it?"

"You're right, Mr. Simms! Uncle, it's decided. Instead of wasting all of that food. You will give it to the people of the slums."

"But… I… Yes, Your Highness." Delsin barely caught what he muttered next. "Filthy bleeding heart, what? Should I give them my clothes next?"

"You know," said Delsin. "Now that I think about it, they're probably freezing as much as they are starving."

"Excellent point, Eugene! Uncle, give them some of your clothes as well."

Delsin grinned as the Prime Minister gasped and started to glare at him as he walked away. "You know you're going to pay for that, right," asked Seryu under her breath as she and Delsin continued to the Armory.

"Let him try. Anyone he sends my way, is going down. No one can handle my powers."

"Stop talking before you eat your own words, D." Delsin paused slightly as Seryu kept walking, not even realizing he had stopped. _'Dammit. Why'd she have to call me that? God, I wonder how Fetch and Eugene are doing.'_ Delsin followed her into the Armory and found several weapons lining the walls and shelves of the room.

"Any Imperial Arms here?"

"No. Those are wither locked away in a vault, or already partnered with someone."

"Dammit."

"What do you need one for, anyway?"

"Hey, I can't rely on my powers alone. There will be a time when they won't work, mainly because I'd just taken a dip in a lake. I need something to help give me an edge in combat when that happens. Because that's just how my luck always is."

"Well, getting a weapon means you need to train with it, constantly. They require hours, days, months of training to learn the basics, years to become adept, and decades to master."

"Well, I don't need to master it, so I'll stick with something basic for now."

"Then I suggest, the spear. It's the simplest weapon to learn and has a great range."

"But, it has a blade at the end, and I'm not trying to kill people."

"Alright, then maybe another shield? Something smaller with less weight. A buckler, for example."

"Those are those small ones, right? Can't exactly protect people from incoming bullets if I don't have as large a shield as before."

"Alright… then how about one of these," Seryu pulled out a pair of tonfa. "I work with these. Tonfa are small, versatile weapons, slightly difficult to use, but useful."

"Aren't yours guns?"

"Doesn't mean I can't use them in a melee fight." She tossed them to Delsin, and he caught them. They were metal tonfa, the length of his arm from palm to elbow. He gave one a spin before channeling lightning through it. "Maybe you should stop before someone sees what else you can do."

"Right." Delsin stopped just as a couple of patrolmen came in to drop off their equipment for maintenance after a shift change. "So, you can teach me how to use these?"

"Yeah!" She smiled as Koro barked beside her. Delsin grinned before stuffing the weapons in his pocket and looking for a shield to use to defend others when he wasn't using the tonfa. As he was standing by the door, he overheard the guards who had just left talking.

"Man, I can't believe he's calling Her back," said one of them. Delsin stopped clanking metal to listen to the guards. Seryu listened as well.

"I know. But with Night Raid taking out Ogre, and now Zanku? Honest is sweating. His regime is crumbling, piece by piece, and he's trying to make sure it doesn't happen."

"But still, bringing in Esdeath of all people?!" Delsin and Seryu exchanged a worried look. "That's one scary lady."

"Tell me about it. You heard what she did to that former general right?"

"Najenda? Yeah, ripped off her arm and cut out her eye. Brutal."

"And that was her going easy. I think she wanted to fight her again."

"I hope we don't encounter her when she gets to the capital."

"I'm with you on that." Delsin looked at Seryu.

"We need to report this, now."

"Right. Oh, shoot. I forgot, Dr. Stylish is expecting me to meet him soon."

"What is he doing this time?"

"I don't know."

"Cause last time he put those gun barrels in your arms. Who does that?!"

"Stylish, apparently…" She rubbed her elbows where she could feel the metal of the guns rubbing against her muscles.

"Make this the last time. That man is deranged, and from what you've told me, downright evil, if the rumors of his dungeons are true."

"I know. I promise. Last time."

"I hope so. Listen, I'll stick around the palace until you're done."

"No, the team needs to know what's going on as soon as possible."

"If he does something to you that you know could put others in danger, get to us quickly, alright?"

"Got it." She held out her hand to Koro who coughed up a stack of papers. Delsin grabbed the wet tips of the stack. "Sorry, I grabbed a stack of papers after I woke up and had Koro keep them in his mouth."

"Great… I think I'll try and run my way back. Might be faster than looking for a dry stack of papers."

"Sorry…"

"It's no problem. Get back to the hideout as soon as possible."

"Of course, oh!"

"What's up?"

"Rumor has it that General Budo can fly using Adramelech."

"Ok, any idea how?"

"I think I saw him do it once. He gathered electricity around his body."

"Oh, if I could fly, that would be so fucking cool!"

"Maybe you should try and do it away from the Palace, though. Too many eyes."

"Right, right…"

"Delsin…"

"I won't do anything near the Palace. Scouts honor." Delsin held up three fingers with two crossed behind his back. Seryu eyed him suspiciously before walking away. When she was out of earshot, he chuckled. "I was never in the scouts…" Delsin got to the Palace courtyard and looked around. Seeing no one around, and feeling no one watching, Delsin charged up some lightning around him and felt himself lift off the ground. He shot up into the sky and whooped. Seryu looked out a window and shook her head, cursing lightly as she saw a bright flash flying towards the Night Raid compound.

"Idiot…" she smiled slightly, hearing Delsin yell in excitement in the distance. He got to the compound and found a paper spear in the doorway.

"No, no, no…" Delsin charged into the compound and found Lubbock cradling a wound in his arm. "What happened?"

"Your crazy girlfriend escaped and shot me full of paper before running off."

"Not my girlfriend. She's a stalker. Here." Delsin Pulse Healed Lubbock before looking around. "Where's the Boss?"

"In the hot springs. She was relaxing before we test out the new Imperial Arm on you three."

"Alright. You know, I'm surprised you're not trying to perv on the boss."

"Hey, I have nothing but the utmost respect for Najenda!"

"What does that say for the other women on the team," asked Leone behind the green haired spinster. He choked up slightly as he heard knuckles pop and glared at Delsin.

"Why didn't you tell me she was there?!"

"Honestly, I thought it'd be funny to see what you had to say."

"Oh," said Sayo as she, Tatsumi and Bulat came in from training. "Hi, Delsin."

"Hey guys. Any of you know where Akame is?"

"Resting, I think," said Bulat. "Said the battle took more out of her than she thought."

"Hey, have any of you guys known Akame to be pushed back in a fight?"

"Only against really powerful opponents," said Leone. "Why?"

"I don't know if she told you, but I had to step out of the fight as soon as she showed up so I could recharge. When I got back, she was on the backfoot, stuck in defense as Zanku pressed his attacks."

"That doesn't sound like Akame," said Bulat.

"Thought so. Maybe it was something about the Imperial Arm? Zanku said that it allowed him to read minds, muscle movement and be more observant of things than a normal person, could it have projected an image to Akame's head?"

"That is a distinct possibility. She hasn't spoken with us since she got back."

"I'll go check on her. See what's up."

"You do that."

"Hey Delsin," said Tatsumi. "What else can that Imperial Arm thing do?"

"I'm guessing things involved with sight. It's like a creepy weird eye thing. Maybe you can see far distances with it. See through walls? I don't know. He only used two of its five sights against me." Delsin went over to Akame's room and knocked. "Akame? You ok in there?"

Akame opened the door and pulled Delsin into a hug. Delsin froze slightly before slipping his arms around her shoulder. "I don't know…"

"What happened back there? When I got back, you were being pushed back. Did his Imperial Arm do something?"

"It… projected an image into my mind. First it showed my sister, Zanku was confidant I wouldn't want to harm her. As I was going for the finishing blow, the image shifted."

"Shifted? To what? Or, who?"

"It… was…" Delsin saw her leaning close to him and froze again before there was a knock at the door. He turned around and saw Mine standing in the doorway.

"Hey, boss is calling a meeting. Come on."

"On our way." He turned to Akame. "You gonna be alright?"

"I… think so…"

"Alright. Let's get going then."

"R-right." Delsin walked ahead of her and led the way to the meeting room where Najenda was already sitting in her chair.

"Alright. So, we're testing the three of us with that eye thing, right?"

"Yes. We're going to test your compatibility with Spectator. All three of you will be given a chance unless someone has a compatibility with it. So, who wants to go first?"

"I'll do it," said Tatsumi.

"Remember," said Delsin. "It's got some weird abilities. Mind reading for one. Try it on one of us."

"Right." Tatsumi looked around and focused on Akame. "…You're thinking about meat!"

"You're right," said Akame impressed.

"Ok," said Delsin. "Try and read someone else's mind. Not one as predictable as Akame's meat filled mind." He grinned at her as she glared at him slightly. She looked away, a blush barely showing on her cheeks. Delsin turned to Tatsumi and saw him fall backwards in surprise. "Whoa, you ok, dude?"

"He probably got dizzy trying to think of how to use it," said Mine as she leaned forward to check on him. Delsin noticed his blush when she did and saw Akame and Sheele behind Mine. The next thing he noticed was Tatsumi starting to look a bit weak.

"Ok, time to take it off," he said as he took the eye off his friend before helping him up. "Clearly this thing isn't right for you, dude." He leaned in close. "Be honest, you used x-ray vision just now, didn't you?" Tatsumi grunted in surprise before subtly nodding. Delsin chuckled before putting the eye on himself. "Ok, let's see…" He grinned and turned to Mine. "Oh, nice undies, Mine. Pink everything, huh?" Mine blushed darkly before instinctively covering herself up.

"You pervert! You're looking through my clothes!"

"Relax, I'm not. You forget, I saw your underwear color when you tried killing Tatsumi the other day. I just made an educated guess to mess with you." He groaned as he felt his head start hurting. He tossed it to Sayo. "Yeah, no. Not for me either. Didn't even try using one of it's powers and it was giving me a headache. How that Zanku guy managed to use it without anything happening to his mind is a mystery."

"I don't think so," said Akame. "He mentioned how he heard voices, everywhere he went and asked if I heard them as well."

"Yeah," said Sayo as she handed the Imperial Arm to Najenda. "If that thing makes you crazy, I don't want to risk it."

"Fair enough," said Najenda as she took a drag from her cigarette. "Sorry you three, looks like you'll need to wait a little longer for an Imperial Arm of your own."

"Fine by me," said Delsin, sticking his hands into his pockets. "Until I know for sure there are users out there my powers won't have an effect on, I'll be fine for now using these things." Delsin reached into his jacket and pulled out the tonfa Seryu lent him.

"Where's your chain and shield," asked Tatsumi.

"Imperial evidence. When the other guards found me and Seryu, they took in my stuff as evidence. Luckily they didn't take my jacket or anything in its pockets." Delsin spun a can of spray paint before tossing it to Mine. "Here. In case you need to color something pink."

"I don't even know how to use this," shouted the sniper.

"Just shake the can, remove the top and press down on the white stub. Oh and make sure you…"

"Ahh!" Delsin groaned as paint covered Mine's face.

"Face the nozzle away from you…" Delsin dug out a rag before helping her wipe the paint off. "Yeah. Not gonna lie, that happened to me the first time I used one of these as well. Didn't see the nozzle was turned towards me when I was using it, got a blast of paint right in the face." He let Mine take the rag.

"Hey," said Sayo. "I saw the mural. It seemed pretty big. How much paint do you have left?"

"A little. But I know how to make more. Not for the cans, mind you, but I can make do."

"How do those work, anyway," asked Tatsumi.

"Uh… compressed air in the can sort of mixes with the paint inside, pushing it out as I press down the nozzle. That's pretty much all I understand of it." He spun another can before putting it away. "Yeah, that mural took up most of what I had on hand, had to improvise a few times when I ran out of black paint."

"Yet you still have blue," asked Sayo. "Oh, blue's my main color. I had four cans when I got here. Now I'm down to one. As well as one white."

"All of those fit in your jacket," asked Lubbock.

"Not in a pocket. They hang from hooks I made in the fabric. Bit uncomfortable at times, but artists suffer for their work."

"Alright people," said Najenda. With that out of the way, we need to prepare for our next mission, got it?"

"Yeah, yeah," said Delsin. "Need another distraction for this one?"

"Not at the moment, no. In fact, we may only need Mine, Sayo and Sheele for this one. Leone, why don't you and Lubbock take Delsin to our hideout in the Capital. It might be smart for him to stay in the city for a few days, and a 'legitimate' job would help with that."

"Maybe then I can make some money to help the people in the slums. I also need to look for Celia. She's too dangerous to have wandering around. How's the arm, by the way, Lub?"

"Better, actually. Don't feel any pain. And hey, what did you heal me with?" Delsin grinned and rubbed his fingers together, showing lightning sparking off of them.

"You got your lightning power back," exclaimed Tatsumi.

"When did this happen," asked Najenda.

"When I woke up, I met with General Budo. When I shook the man's hand after coming to an agreement about where and when to use my powers in the city, which, by the way I'm stuck using them in the slums and market only, otherwise the guards will hunt me down. Anyways, I think I instinctively drained energy from it, and now, boom! Lightning powers! Oh, and check out what Seryu helped me figure out I could do." Delsin surrounded himself with electricity and lifted off into the air with a grin. "I can fly!"

"So can Budo," said Lubbock.

"I know. Seryu mentioned he could manipulate lightning like this, and I followed by example." Delsin dropped and landed next to Sheele, wrapping an arm around her waist to steady her as she stumbled from being startled. She blushed as she thanked him and fixed her glasses. "Hey, what about the Imperial Arms in the vault?"

"What about them. Well, when I use paper, I can make myself as thin as possible. Is it possible for me to get in there, find the vault, grab some Imperial Arms, and get out?"

"Are you able to maneuver around stealthily?"

"How stealthily are we talking?"

"The guards around the Imperial Vault are some of the best fighters in the Empire. Trained at the Imperial Fist Academy, spent a few years on the Empire's Assassination Squad, Akame's former unit, and each most likely wields an Imperial Arm. They'll be formidable foes to face alone. Unless you can sneak your way passed them, successfully, a fight is unavoidable."

"Dammit. And I can't exactly explain what I'd be doing there."

"What about that Celia girl," suggested Sayo. "She's the one Delsin got the Paper power from. And from what Delsin told us about her past, she's a successful assassin. She could get them."

"I wouldn't trust her not to keep them for herself," said Lubbock. "She seems like the kind of girl who would do that, just to stay alive."

"She wouldn't do that," said Najenda. "If Delsin was the one who asks her to."

"Oh no," said Delsin. "Don't say it."

"You said, and we've seen, that she has an unnatural obsession with you. We could use this to our advantage."

"You want me to manipulate her, is what you're saying."

"Can you think of a better idea?"

"Yeah. I've got a history of redeeming people. Fetch, Eugene, Seryu. I can bring her to our side without manipulating her feelings and emotions. She's gone through enough of that already."

"And how do you plan on doing that?"

"I'll find a way. No one is irredeemable. All it takes is time, reason and patience."

"Are you sure you can do this?"

"I have to try. I didn't get a chance to try and help Celia in Seattle. Maybe I can do that here."

"You better be sure about this."

"Hey, this is your idea, not mine. I'd rather bring her back and take her in for all the people she's killed. But I don't have that option. We are going to need help. Especially now."

"Why now," asked Tatsumi.

"While in the armory, me and Seryu heard some guards talking. They mentioned how they weren't excited for who was being called back. Honest just sent out a letter calling back General Esdeath." Akame, Najenda and Bulat tensed, Mine and Sheele paled while Lubbock swallowed with a dry throat. Sayo and Tatsumi turned to everyone.

"What's wrong," asked Sayo.

"Esdeath is one of the strongest people in the Empire," said Najenda. "If she's being called back to the Empire, then I need to warn the leaders of the Revolutionary Army. And we need to plan accordingly." She turned to Delsin. "You and Sayo are to set up permanent shop in our Capital Hideout, establish an alibi for yourselves, report back only when you hear something, or if you find Celia. Keep contact with Seryu, help relay information on the goings on in the Capital. For the rest of us, it's business as usual."

"Hey," said Tatsumi. "Why is Sayo going with them and not me?"

"I froze up on my first mission," said Sayo. "I just couldn't kill them in cold blood. I don't have the mentality to be an assassin."

"I didn't know that…"

"It was slightly easier for Tatsumi," said Delsin. "He'd already killed before. When we first met, the men we were traveling with were attacked by bandits with us in the cart. They were getting flanked as I was taking on most of them. He hesitated at first, but seeing no other option he swung his sword, taking the guy's head off. It's not an easy thing, killing people. Most don't have the stomach for it, me included. But it means you value life. Everyone here does, some of us just have an easier time going through with killing people for various different reasons. If you want, you can team up with me in saving people instead when we get to the hideout."

"I think that'd be fine."

"Good." He turned to Najenda. "We'll head out first thing in the morning."

"Alright, but first, where's Seryu? You said you two heard this news together."

"Meeting with that doctor guy."

"That's the third one this month."

"I noticed. She told me what he put into her last time. Hidden guns in her arms in case they ever got chopped off in combat. Who does that?!"

"Welcome to the Empire," said Leone. Delsin sighed.

"I'll check on her in the morning." He turned to Akame. "Can we talk? In private?"

"Sure, Delsin." Delsin led her outside and sighed. "What's wrong?"

"Remember when we fought? The first time we met?"

"Of course. It was the first time we saw you use your Smoke power. Why?"

"Remember how you nicked my hand?" When she nodded, Delsin sighed again and looked at his hand. The marks were gone. "I thought I beat the damn thing when I healed. But I may have been mistaken. During our fight with Zanku, the markings from your sword appeared on my arm. It's why you needed to save me in the first place." She looked at him in disbelief. "So far, it seems limited to my Smoke power alone, and I don't know why. Do you know if there's any way to reverse the curse?"

"No. I don't…" Delsin saw tears starting to form in her eyes.

"Hey, we'll figure this out. Alright? You haven't killed me." He pulled her into a hug and felt her sob, not knowing the entire reason why.

* * *

**(Seattle)**

Fetch yawned as she sat up in the chair she fell asleep in. Across from her Amalia was tirelessly working at her laptop. "Didn't you get any sleep?"

"Ever sleep in a chair? Very uncomfortable and besides, I think I found a way to make my machine. All I need is that wind Conduit."

"Would Smoke help," asked someone from the entrance of the command center. Fetch turned to the door.

"Hank?"

"Hey there, darlin'"

"Sorry," said Amalia. "Unless you can manipulate wind to move a wind powered turbine fast enough to power a small town, it won't help."

"What are you doing here, Hank?"

"I called him," said Eugene. "We need someone to go in there and get Delsin. With the rift as small as it is, I can't do it like I was originally going to."

"You were going to go into the portal?"

"I talked him out of it," said Amalia. "I plan on making this thing stable before we do anything."

"But until then," said Samantha as she walked in. "We need a way to communicate with Mr. Rowe. See if there's anything on his end that can help." She pulled out a couple of radios and some spare batteries, rechargeable and dispensable. She turned to Hank. "Mr. Daughtry. If you end up in the same place as Mr. Rowe, hand him these. Their tuned to our frequency and operate on high frequencies, curtesy of a Sound Conduit from Curdan Cay."

"Sound," asked Amalia. "How does that work! That sounds so cool!"

"Focus, Amalia," said Eugene with a smile. Hank looked at the rift and whistled.

"Damn. Wasn't expecting it to be so… small."

"It's been shrinking," said Eugene. He turned to the Smoke Conduit. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I owe the kid. I led him into a trap that killed his cop brother. He had every reason to kill me for that and he didn't. He let me go to be with my daughter. I gotta make things right."

"What about your daughter," asked Fetch. "There's a chance you and Delsin don't come back."

"I know. She knows also. Which is why I took so long to get here. We were spending some time together before I went after the kid." He went to the rift. "Can I trust there'll be one on the otherside?"

"We don't know," said Samantha. "If there is one, and Delsin hasn't come back through it, then it's probably out of Delsin's reach."

"But not mine. I figured out how to gain some altitude when flying around."

"Sounds useful," said Eugene.

"You energy Conduits have it easy," said Samantha. "Being able to use your abilities to fly. You know solid Conduits can't do that, right?"

"Someone's jealous," said Amalia. Samantha sighed.

"You can hover," said Eugene.

"It's not the same."


	7. Kill The Bad News

Hank looked at the rift and sighed. "Damn. Haven't been this nervous since my daughter was born."

"You'll be fine," said Amalia, never looking up from her computer. "I've attached a device to your wrist that will help us monitor your bio readings and keep in contact."

"Doesn't mean I can't be nervous." He turned to Eugene. "Where'd you find this chick, kid?"

"Cyber Café," said Eugene and Amalia.

"You two are a match made in heaven," said Fetch as she walked over, wiping her mouth clean after throwing up her breakfast over the side of the platform. "I feel like crap."

"Just mornin' sickness, darlin'," said Hank. "My wife went through the same thing when she was pregnant. Hey, you want me to tell Delsin about…?"

"No. I'll tell him when he gets back."

"You sure? It'll give him something to get back to, knowing he's got a family on the way."

"I… I want to surprise him. Lord knows it was a surprise to me." Fetch placed her hand on her stomach and smiled slightly. "Let me be the one to tell him, alright, Hank?"

"Sure thing." He turned to Eugene. "How will I know if I'm in the same place as Delsin?"

"You won't," said Amalia. "We don't even know if you'll end up in the same place. This is a big shot in the dark. After being spun around for three minutes."

"In other words," said Samantha on the radio, "It's a long shot. But one we need to take."

"And where are you," asked Fetch.

"I'm sorry. But with Delsin gone and you two here trying to get him back, someone has to deal with the Defectors." Eugene cringed. "Don't worry about it. They're former DUP. We need to deal with them ourselves."

"Should you be putting yourself in harms way," asked Zeke. "You're the director."

"I'm not about to let my men fight alone. I'm not as fragile as the glass I use. Find Delsin, Mr. Daughtry. I promise you you'll be compensated for your efforts regardless of if you find him."

"How much we talkin'?"

"That can be discussed when you return."

"Alright then." He turned to the rift. "See y'all when I get back!"

"Wait," said Zeke. He walked to the Smoke Conduit and handed him a small bag. "If you find him, give him these. A little something I whipped up in case the Defectors got smart and tried to wipe out all of his sources of power. Kid's strong, but not invincible."

"What are these things?"

"Gas grenades. Both smoke and neon. For the neon though, he's gotta find a current to run them through, otherwise it's just useless gas. Alright, now you can go." Henry 'Hank' Daughtry nodded and Smoke Dashed through the rift, intent on finding Delsin Rowe.

**(Night Raid Compound)**

Delsin sighed as he sat on a tree branch outside the compound. "Dammit. How the hell am I going to get the hang of this if I only have a limited amount of energy, and no lightning storm to replenish myself? I can't exactly walk up to Budo and go 'Hey General! Remember me?! I need you to shock me with those massive gauntlets of yours! Why? Oh, I have lightning powers I didn't tell you about and I need to recharge!' Yeah that'll go over well."

"Do you always talk to yourself," asked Seryu below him.

"Only when I'm stressed. Like now." Delsin sighed and leaned back, forgetting he was on a tree branch. "Whoa!" Delsin landed on his face on the ground. "Ow."

"Thought you didn't get hurt from falling."

"Doesn't mean I can't feel pain when my face gets hit." Delsin turned into smoke and appeared right side up.

"That's new." Delsin popped his neck.

"Yeah, I don't use that trick too much. Feels weird when I go end over end like that." He turned to her, hands in his pocket. "So, what did that freak do this time?"

"The worst thing you could think of." She turned around and lifted up her ponytail. "He put a bomb in the back of my head."

"He what?!"

"It's a last resort weapon if I lose everything else and am desperate to kill people. Don't worry, I'm never going to say the passphrase to activate it."

"We should still try and get that thing out of you."

"We can't, not yet at least."

"Why do you say that?"

"He wants to do regular maintenance on everything he put in me. That includes the bomb. While he's still alive, we can't do anything."

"You already thought about this, huh?"

"On my way here, yeah. At first I was frantic and wanted it out, then I thought about the implications of what would happen if he saw I'd had the bomb removed." She sighed. "I just have to deal with it for now."

"I'm gonna kick that guys ass if I ever see him."

"Not before me and Koro get a shot at him." She turned to him. "So, did you get the info to Najenda?"

"Yeah. For the time being, I'm to work at the Night Raid secret hideout in the Capital. But staying in a place without any known bedrooms is a little suspicious. I'm gonna have to find a place to stay in the Capital for the time being. Man, I wonder how much coin I got left…" Delsin was so deep in thought, he didn't notice the blush creep on Seryu's face.

"Um… I live alone in my parents old house…"

"I thought Guards slept in the barracks."

"Only recruits and when we know we're going to pulling double patrol shifts. Really, we have our own homes. Mine's close to the market district. Why don't you stay with me?"

"That'd be great, Seryu. We should tell Sayo you offered to let us sleep in your home."

"Oh, Sayo's coming too…"

"Yeah. She doesn't have the stomach to be an assassin. She froze up on her first mission. Najenda wants her and I to do reconnaissance in the Capital while I also do my hero thing."

"Good to know…"

"Come on. Let's go find Sayo."

"Sure." Koro patted her arms as she held him, sensing her disappointment. She followed Delsin to the compound and found Sayo helping Akame in the kitchen.

"Hey, Sayo. Seryu said she'd let us stay in her place while working in the Capital."

"Oh… that's great…"

"Ease up on that grip there, Sayo. You might snap that knife in half." Sayo glanced at her hand and set down the knife she was using to cut up some meat. Akame tried swatting Delsin's hand away as he swiped a grape and popped it into his mouth. "So, what's on the agenda today?"

"Mine and Sheele are on a mission," said Akame. "So are Leone and Tatsumi. They should be back in a few hours."

"Alright. If you guys need me, I'm going for a run."

"Trying to find that rift again," asked Najenda as she and Lubbock walked in.

"Yeah. I can't help but feel it's still there. I should be back by nightfall."

"Good luck," said Sayo.

"I'll go with you," said Seryu. Koro barked in agreement.

"Alright. Try and keep up." Delsin grinned and Flash Stepped away.

"No fair!" Seryu ran after him. Sayo and Akame sighed. Delsin grinned as he climbed up a tree as Seryu caught up. "You know I don't have powers, Delsin!"

"Hey, you wanted to tag along."

"I didn't think you'd be using your already unfair powers!"

"Arf," said Koro, backing up his owner. Delsin chuckled.

"Come on. The road is this way." Seryu followed him, thinking about everything Delsin had told her.

"So, what's your world like?"

"Uh… well there's no empire. Unless you count corporate empires in which case, there's tons of those. Earth is full of several countries, all with their own governments. My country is called the United States."

"United States?"

"Basically 50 independent states all united into one country in the North American Continent. The United States of America."

"How does that work?"

"Representative democracy. Each State has representatives to help decide on how the country operates. We don't have a king we have an elected official called a president. He basically runs the country, but not absolutely. There are two bodies that share the power, One makes the laws, one upholds the laws and the president enforces the laws."

"That sounds overly complicated."

"It was made that way to ensure a single man didn't end up with absolute power, and to ensure that everyone has a choice in how the country is run."

"Who decided that?"

"Rich men who wanted more financial freedom so they could fatten their wallets," said a man behind them. Delsin turned around and spotted a face he didn't expect to see in this world. "Hey, kid," said Henry 'Hank' Daughtry.

"Hank?!" Delsin grinned and gave the Smoke Conduit a bro hug. "How are you here?!"

"Same way as you, I assume."

"This is Hank," asked Seryu.

"Yeah. Hank, this is Seryu Ubiquitous. She's a friend of mine here."

"Nice to meet ya, darlin'."

"Wait, does that mean the rift is still there?"

"Yeah, but it's pretty high up man! We're talking at least a mile!"

"I don't remember falling nearly long enough for that to be a mile."

"Well I did. Goddamn, kid! We're talking so high up, I had difficulty breathing. That's probably why you don't remember the time it took. Probably passed out."

"Or it got higher," said Seryu.

"That's impossible," said Hank.

"Hank, we have superpowers. We both got to an alternate world through a rift in time and space. We're beyond 'impossible' at this point in time," said Delsin.

"Good point. Anyway, I came here to check on you. Your friends back home are worried sick." Delsin sighed.

"I thought they would be. Tell them I'm fine. I'm just gonna be here a while. There's some things I gotta do."

"Like what?"

"Try and help a revolution."

"No really. What else do you have to do?"

"Hey, I'm serious man. I'm a regular Paul Revere."

"Not sure you should brag about being a glorified messenger. I thought you didn't kill people."

"I still don't unless I have no choice. My job is mainly to save people from thugs and asshole rich guys."

"So business as usual then?"

"Yeah, you could say that, I guess. Just with some very strange and powerful weapons."

"Like what?"

"See that dog in Seryu's arms?"

"That's a dog? I thought it was a plushie."

"Arf," said Koro.

"Koro takes offense to that." She held the Imperial Arm to Hank's face. "Apologize now!"

"Uh… sorry?"

"That's better!"

"Arf!" Delsin sighed.

"Yeah, so Koro here is one of those weapons."

"This little thing?! What, is it supposed to do? Smother things? Kill it with boredom?" Before anyone could reply, a howling behind Delsin sounded. He turned around and spotted a blue and yellow furred wolf. "Now that is a dog! Look at it, it's got proper canines! But what the hell is wrong with its fur?"

"Get down," shouted a man behind the wolf as its fur started to rise. Delsin smelled ozone in the air and pushed Hank and Seryu away as the wolf fired a blast of lightning at them. Delsin absorbed it all and turned to the wolf. "What the hell…?"

"Ok, Fido. Let's dance." Delsin Flash Stepped at the wolf, only to find the wolf moving as fast as he did. "Ok, what?!" Delsin brought out a tonfa as the wolf lunged forward, attempting to bite at his neck. Delsin trapped its jaws with the weapon and punched it off him. The man, who was carrying a hunting rifle, aimed a shot only to be hit with a bolt of lightning from the wolf, killing him instantly. "Ok, no more Mr. Nice Delsin. Hank! Gonna need some help here!"

"When the hell did you get lightning, kid?! Are there Conduits here too?!"

"It's a long story. Help us take this thing out!"

"Koro," shouted Seryu. "Sic him!" Hank stared as Koro expanded in size, becoming more monstrous and vicious.

"Sweet Jesus…"

"Hank," shouted Delsin.

"Right. Wolf first weird giant thing later." Hank Smoke Dashed behind the wolf and unloaded a large stream of smoke at it, pushing it towards Delsin. The Power Sponge grabbed hold of the wolf and drained as much of its lightning as he could handle before tossing it to Koro who promptly chowed down on the wolf. "Could someone tell me what the hell is going on here?!"

"That was a Danger Beast," said Seryu. "They're like animals except more dangerous."

"No shit! How the hell could it spew lightning like that MacGrath guy in the news a few years ago?!"

"Evolution, I don't know man," shouted Delsin. "All I know is that these Danger Beasts are a part of this world and some of them were killed and their parts turned into weapons a long ass time ago. Koro is one of them."

"This place is insane."

"You're telling me. I've been here a month and a half, and I'm still not used to everything here."

"Listen, Delsin. They're working on a way to get you back home, alright?"

"I kinda figured they'd be doing that." He pointed at the pack Hank had. "What's in that?"

"Oh right. Gifts from home!" He handed the pack to Delsin. The Power Conduit reached in and pulled out what looked to Seryu like a white chord.

"My charger? Lotta good that'll do me with no outlets or electricity in this world."

"Man, you kidden?! You're a walking battery right now!"

"Yeah, but I don't exactly have a regular source of electricity to switch back to this power." Koro burped, dropping what was left of the wolf.

"What about that? You said those things were made into weapons, right?"

"Only the First Emperor knew how to make them," said Seryu. "No one else has been able to replicate his feat."

"So unless this bag has a generator in it, I'm…" Delsin stopped as he heard whimpering nearby. Looking behind a tree, he found a blue and yellow pup, barely a few weeks old. It coward away from him when he got close. He knelt down and held out his hand, sparking it with electricity. The wolf, feeling the energy, got close and sniffed his hand as he turned to Seryu. "That's why I don't kill. There's always a family member. I could never bring myself to hurt a family by taking away a loved one."

"Sure, make me feel worse about what I've done."

"Just saying." He gently picked up the pup as it licked his fingers.

"Guess you got a regular source of energy now," said Hank.

"Yeah, yeah. What else is in here?"

"Bag of gas grenades from some guy called Zeke."

"Zeke? I don't know a Zeke."

"Said you helped get word out about Augustine's way of doing things."

"Oh, that guy? Never met him."

"Simms said he was friends with MacGrath."

"Wait, he's Zeke Dunbar?! That dude built Cole's sick weapon! Oh man, I didn't even know. So, what? Are they just smoke bombs?"

"Smoke and neon. Said you gotta pass a current through those, otherwise it's just useless gas."

"Oh man, Zeke's a genius. Never thought about making neon grenades."

"Be careful with them, you've only got a few of them so save it for an emergency, alright?"

"Right, got it. Anything else?"

"Just a couple of radios, some batteries and a warning. Celia is missing, disappeared from her cell. They think she found her way here."

"She did. I encountered her a few days ago. She'd been following me."

"Man I hope she's alright. I was her only friend before Augustine isolated her from the other Conduits. She reminded me of my daughter."

"I didn't know that."

"If you see her, try and help her, kid. She's been alone for too long. Another thing, you know that thing that leveled Empire City?"

"The Ray Sphere? Yeah, what about it?"

"The plans were in DUP evidence lock up and they've gone missing."

"Oh man. That's not good. If that thing gets in the wrong hands, we've got another Blast to worry about."

"The DUP director wants you to keep an eye out on this end for those plans, or if someone is trying to create the damn thing."

"Wait, you're working with the Dups?! What the hell?!"

"They ain't like they were before. Those guys you were fighting since Augustine's arrest defected from the DUP. They got new management now. A Glass Conduit named Samantha."

"You trust her?"

"I don't trust no one but my family, kid. Always safer that way." He pulled out one of the radios. "You got two of these, in case one breaks. Disposable and reusable batteries as well. I don't know if you'll be able to pick them up but give it a try." Delsin looked at the radio for a few seconds. He pressed the button.

"This is Delsin Rowe. Anyone there?" There was a few seconds of silence before a crackled response came through.

"D," shouted Fetch over the radio "D, is that you?!"

"Fetch! Oh man, it's good to hear your voice."

"Same. Are you ok over there?!"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just dealing with some weird shit in this world?"

"We've got superpowers, D. What's weirder than that?"

"Cursed swords, plushie looking dogs that can turn into giant man eating beasts, an evil empire that subjugates it's people and equally evil rich assholes that torture and kill people just for being poor."

"Did you say cursed swords," asked Eugene.

"Eugene! Hey buddy! Hey, hope you don't mind, I'm borrowing your name as an alias while I'm here."

"I guess that's fine. But when I get stuck in another world, I get to use yours. It'd be fun being Delsin Rowe for a while."

"In your dreams, Eug. And yeah, I did say cursed swords. One of my friends has a sword that can kill you just by scratching your skin. It makes these weird markings appear on your body."

"ask him if there are any power relays over there," said a voice in the background, Delsin could barely make out.

"Who's that?"

"That'd be Eugene's girlfriend, Amalia," said Fetch.

"Wait, she's real?!"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Delsin," muttered Eugene.

"Sorry man. Part of me thought she was all talk. You kinda aren't that social."

"Yeah, I get it. My confidence issues are always the butt of your jokes."

"Hey, I didn't mean it like that, buddy! Look, I'm happy for you man. And as for her question, do wolves that generate lightning count?" Delsin heard Eugene and Fetch grunt before someone spoke up.

"Did I hear you right," asked a woman. "Lightning wolves?!"

"Yeah. There are some very weird and dangerous monsters here. And I mean dangerous. We're talking dragons."

"Dragons," shouted everyone on the other end as well as Hank.

"Bring one back," shouted Amalia. "I'd love to have a pet dragon! I'd be just like Daenerys Targaryen!"

"Ok, she's definitely Eugene's girlfriend."

"Hey," said Zeke over the radio. "Not that learning dragons are real isn't cool, but Hank should make his way back. We don't know if this thing will shrink some more."

"Wait, it's shrinking?"

"Yeah. It's why Hank is the only one there," said Eugene. "Smoke has a better chance fitting in small spots like this one. The rift is as small as a small dog on this end." Delsin turned to Koro who barked in annoyance.

"You're not throwing Koro through the rift," said Seryu as she hugged the dog close and turned him away from Delsin.

"I'd never do that. While you're here, anyway." Seryu smacked him as Koro bit his hand.

"Ow!"

"Who's that, D," asked Fetch.

"Oh right, Fetch, this is Seryu Ubiquitous. She's a friend of mine here and my partner in crime fighting."

"Nice to meet you," said Seryu. "Over… whatever this is. Delsin's talked a lot about you. You're a lucky woman, Miss Fetch."

"Just call me Fetch."

"Kid," said Hank. "I gotta head back."

"Can you even reach up there?"

"I figured out how to get some altitude without vents."

"Then I'll go with you. I need to see where the rift is myself."

"Can you even make it up there?"

"You're not the only one who's learned some new tricks." Delsin grinned as he lifted himself in the air, lightning surrounding his body. Hank grinned and turned half his body into Smoke. Delsin handed the radio and pup to Seryu and the two Conduits rose into the air.

"Seryu," said Fetch. "You still there?"

"Yes, ma'am! Delsin and Hank went up to the rift."

"How close are you to Delsin?"

"What?"

"He said you were partners. I want to know how close you are."

"Um… we're close friends. He helped me get justice for my parents and has been helping me deal with… things I've done in my past."

"That sounds like D. Always helping people. Do me a favor, Seryu."

"What?"

"Keep an eye on Delsin for me while he's there. Dude finds himself in some dangerous situations sometimes."

"I believe it. He always seems to be drawn to danger. He helped me take out a drug gang shortly after we first met. That's when I learned about the man who had my parents killed. I've been helping him since then. Both with trying to save people and with the Revolutionary Army."

"Revolutionary Army?"

"My country is in the middle of a civil war. Delsin is part of the Revolution, helping people in the Imperial Capital. He works alongside assassins who've been killing the more corrupt people in the Empire who would interfere with the changes the Revolutionary Army wants put in place to protect people."

"And Delsin joined these assassins?"

"He's not an assassin himself. He's been acting as a distraction while the assassins do their job. I've been helping him with my position in the Imperial Guard as much as I can. He's bringing hope back to a lot of people here. Including me…"

"…How close did you say you were?"

"We're friends! Nothing more, I swear! I'd never get between you two! He speaks so highly of you and it's clear he loves you. I wouldn't get in the way of that." There was a few seconds of silence.

"I'm sure you wouldn't. Make sure D doesn't hurt himself for me. And good luck." Seryu couldn't help but blush lightly. Something about the way Fetch said good luck made her think there was a double meaning. Back on Earth Amalia turned to Fetch.

"Did you just encourage her to try hooking up with your boyfriend?"

"I don't know why I did that. Something about her just seemed interesting. I got curious."

"Would Delsin even think about being with her if he's with you?"

"D's an open minded guy. If I say it's fine for him to be with other girls, he may jump at the chance."

"Where is this coming from?"

"I blame you. Ever since you showed up, I've been having thoughts about girls I never had before!"

"Finger's on the button, Fetch," said Delsin over the radio. Fetch blushed as she turned to the radio. Delsin grinned as he saw Seryu's tomato red face. "Hank should be coming through soon." Eugene looked at the rift.

"He went through, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"When he got to Seryu's world, the trip took about six seconds. It's been ten seconds already."

"Six seconds? It took me a little longer than that. Maybe he got lost."

"How?"

"It's like a tunnel in there with a lot of exits. Or maybe he was stopped by Kessler like I was."

"Kessler," asked Zeke. "You met that sonuvabitch?!"

"He brought me to this world, told me to help it and let me absorb powers from Cole and some chick named Lucy Kuo."

"Kuo?"

"You knew her?"

"Ice Conduit. She worked with me and Cole in New Marais but sided with the Beast when we learned that the RFI was going to kill all Conduits."

"And yet we still exist. How?"

"Evolution. Life finds a way. The Plague Conduits were the first batch and existed alongside the Plague. When the RFI went off, the Plague and the existing Conduits died off. But the Conduit Gene lived on, evolving in a different direction than with the Plague, meaning it wasn't effected by the RFI. Mainly because it wasn't activated by either Blast."

"Good to know, I guess," said Fetch.

"He's through," shouted Eugene. Fetch turned around and spotted Hank coming through. But he wasn't whole. He was missing an arm and had lost an eye.

"Hank!" Fetch ran over to him.

"What's going on," asked Delsin.

"Close the rift," coughed out Hank. "Find a way to close it for now. There's another world, Kessler's world!" He coughed up blood. "Kessler said they will open up again soon. But we need to close ours now!"

"Medic," called Eugene. "We need a medic over here!"

"Guys," called Delsin. "What's going on?!" Hank took the radio from Fetch.

"Kid! He's coming! You need to be ready! The Beast… is…" Frank passed out, too much blood having been lost from his wounds.

"Somebody get here quick," shouted Fetch. Amalia stared at the man before turning to the rift and hit a button on her computer. Two speakers popped from machines she'd set up in front of the rift and sent a barrage of soundwaves at the rift. "What are you doing," asked Fetch. "Stop it!" She watched as the rift closed.

"How did you…" started Eugene.

"I've been monitoring the rift, remember," said Amalia. "It was giving off a faint frequency. One I could counteract. I had this in place in case the rift was proving too dangerous to keep open."

"Delsin's trapped there now," shouted Fetch

"Hank said Kessler told him the rift would open again," said Eugene.

"I wouldn't trust a single word that bastard says," said Zeke.

"That bastard was your best friend, in case you forgot," said Eugene.

"Kessler and Cole were nothing alike, no matter what he claims!"

"Enough," shouted Samantha as she walked into the room, her team of medics behind her. "Now can someone tell me what the hell is going on?!"

* * *

**(Western Road to Imperial Capital)**

"Fetch, Eugene," shouted Delsin into the radio. "Come on, guys! Pick up!"

"Delsin, maybe they found a way to close it as a precaution and that's what happened," said Seryu.

"Maybe. I'm just worried. It sounded like Hank was hurt. And did you catch what he said? The Beast is coming."

"You said the Beast was killed by Cole MacGrath."

"My Beast was. Kessler's wasn't…"

"You think there's another world linked to ours through the rift?"

"If there is. We better hope the Beast doesn't learn of this world. But if he does, I'll defend it, no matter what." He placed his gifts back in the bag and took the pup from Seryu. "Let's head back. I need to relay this information to Najenda."

"Right." They walked instead of running back. She glanced at him. "Are you ok?"

"No. One of my friends is hurt and it's because of some uber powerful Conduit from another world. I'm stuck in another world, unable to help. I'm not alright. But thanks for asking." They made it back to the compound just after it turned dark as it started raining and saw everyone was somber. "What happened?"

"Sheele," said Mine. Delsin turned to her and saw she was covering a wound on her neck and her right arm also had a few bullet holes in it. "Sheele's…"

"What happened?"

* * *

**(Road from Red Light District, 45 minutes ago)**

Sheele and Mine were running back to the compound, their mission to take out the leader of a human trafficking ring completed. "That Chiburu guy was so obnoxiously careful, I thought we'd never track him down," said Mine.

"Yeah, that's true. But at least we completed the mission in time." As the two ran, they heard a scream nearby. "Did you hear that?!"

"We can't risk getting caught! Ignore it for now." Sheele ignored her friend and ran towards the scream. "Sheele! Dammit…" Mine followed after her. When they got to where the screaming was coming from, they saw a cloaked figure standing in front of a woman who seemed frozen in fear. Slowly, they watched as she was turned into a shriveled up husk before collapsing as the figure let her go. It wiped at its mouth before slowly turning to the two women.

"What do I have here? Two more women to make this less of a snack and more of a meal? It must be my lucky day."

"What the hell did you do to her," shouted Sheele.

"Just made her blood my own. She was delicate, a bit too loud though. I had to paralyze her." The figure focused more on Sheele. "I know you, Sheele of Night Raid. Your friend there must be from there as well. You'll both keep me beautiful for a while."

"Since you've blown my cover," said Mine as she aimed. "You're going to have to die now."

"Ooh, I love it when they fight. Very well, Night Raid. Let me earn my meal." Mine unleashed a rapid fire volley at the cloaked figure, only for them to outrun the projectiles.

"She's fast," said Sheele as she blocked a punch to Mine's chest with Extase. The figure had charged right at them, aiming to take out Mine with one blow. Sheele had been knocked back slightly by the blow and countered by trying to slice the figure's head off. They expertly bent under the giant pair of scissors and disarmed the purple-ette with a swift jab to the shoulder. They got in close and bit into Mine's neck, only to be hit away by Sheele. Mine fired a massive wave of energy at them, burning away the cloak and knocking them back as Sheele picked up her weapon again. Knocked under the light of a lantern, Sheele and Mine got a good look at their attacker. She seemed to be a teenager with short blonde hair and a light blue dress.

"A little girl," asked Mine.

"That was my favorite cloak," said the girl. "Seems I need to play this carefully." She reached behind her and brought out a wand. She smiled, showing four sharp looking fangs in her mouth and stabbed the wand into her chest before drawing a symbo in bloodl on the ground in front of her and placing the wand at its center. The two women of Night Raid watched as a black mass started forming from the symbol. As they were distracted, the girl pulled out a whistle and blew on it.

"Dammit," said Mine. "That's an Imperial Guard whistle! We're about to have company!"

"You have bigger problems to worry about." The girl smiled, viciously, at them as the black mass formed a monstrous creature with several mouths and eyes. It roared, its saliva and skin corroding the ground before their very eyes.

"What is that thing," asked Sheele as she took a step back in fright.

"I don't know but stay clear of it. See what it's doing to the ground? Getting in close to that thing is suicide. Handle the girl, I'll take out the monster." Mine switched out the barrel of Pumpkin as Sheele nodded and brought Extase in front of her. "Go!" Sheele charged the girl as Mine aimed at her monster and fired a massive blast. Half of the monster's head was nothing but a crater after the blast. It didn't even seem phased as it roared again and charged at Mine. She clambered out of its path and fired two consecutive blasts at it as Sheele slashed Extase at the girl. She jumped over Sheele and sliced downward with a dagger, cutting open her shoulder. She landed behind Sheele as Mine fired one last blast at the monster, reducing it to a single pile of acidic viscera. Mine turned around and saw the girl blow a cloud of gas on Sheele who coughed before freezing.

"Poor, poor Sheele. Maybe if you activated Extase's trump card, you could've beaten me. But you were too slow." She turned Sheele to Mine and smiled at the sniper. "Now your friend gets to watch you die."

"Get away from her you bitch!" Mine aimed at her and was prepared to fire when a few bullets hit her arm. Mine grunted as she momentarily dropped Pumpkin as Imperial Guard started running over. The girl bit into Sheele's neck and started draining her blood. "Sheele!" The girl grinned as she drank from the spectacled assassin, only to widen her eyes in surprise as Sheele lifted her arm and activated Extase's trump card, blinding the guardsmen and the girl who screamed in pain from being so close to the blinding light.

"Run, Mine," said Sheele weakly as her strength failed her. The light started shining brighter and, reluctantly, Mine started running away, but not before lifting Pumpkin and firing a shot just above where the light was shining from. She didn't see if the shot landed, or even if she had killed the bitch, but Mine didn't care. This was a fight she couldn't win, and she knew it. Crying, Mine made her way to a hiding spot to evade the guards before remembering the patrol schedules Seryu had provided for everyone in case they needed them and returning to base.

* * *

**(Night Raid Compound, present time)**

Delsin stood outside the entrance to the compound, staring at Mine in disbelief as the pink-ette started crying. Delsin yelled in rage, a bolt of lightning striking where he stood. Najenda turned to him and saw red lightning sparking on his arms and in his eyes. "Delsin…" cautioned Najenda. He ignored her as he set down the bag and handed the pup to Seryu. He lifted into the air and made his way to towards the Red Light District.

Dorothea was seething in anger. She'd been having a wonderful day until she ran into those Night Raid bitches. They'd destroyed her beautiful creation and to make matters worse, the pink one had blasted a hole in her shoulder. Sure she'd healed up by draining the rest of the purple bitch, but there'd been enough damage that she had started to look her age. And now, she was stuck answering questions to the guards who'd answered her whistle. She had better things to do, like answering to Dr. Stylish's letter. She grinned to herself as she thought of the creations they could make together as a bolt of red lightning struck the ground in front of her, knocking a few guardsmen off their feet and stunning them as they were shocked.

She looked around as bolt after bolt struck the grounds around her incapacitating the guards. She got up and tried to run for cover, trying to avoid the unusual lightning. She managed to get under a tree but felt the back of her dress being grabbed and screamed as she was brought up into the air. She looked at who was holding her and only saw red lightning filled eyes glaring at her. "Where is my friend," asked the man holding her.

"You mean that purple bitch, Sheele? I drained her. She and her friend gave me a good fight, and she tasted so delicious! I bet the pink one would taste sweet! I wonder how you'll taste!" She bit his neck and screamed as several hundred thousands volts were sent through her as she bit him, and she felt her insides start to chill at the same time. The man glared at her as lightning hit his back and his wound healed.

"Wrong move." He sent more lightning into her and froze her body at the same time. He didn't even register he was freezing her. All he wanted was revenge. "Now there are vampires here? Let's see how you feed without your fangs." He reached into her mouth and pulled out the top two fangs before repeating the process with the bottom two. Dorothea screamed in pain. She'd never been forced to heal twice in one day, and now she was forced to use her trump card. But before she could even do it, he ripped out Absordex. She glared at him, tiredly before spitting blood in his face. He growled and lightning struck behind her, revealing a man wearing a strange red hat and a hateful look on his face. Red lightning coursed through his hands and all throughout her body. She screamed as she was simultaneously shocked and frozen until she couldn't move a single part of her body.

"Go to hell, bitch," said Delsin as he dropped her from the height they were hovering at. The last thing Dorothea saw before dying was ice freezing over her vision as red lightning struck the sky and the man flew off. Delsin watched as she shattered after hitting the ground. He floated down, grabbed Extase and Sheele's withered body before flying back to the compound, a girl with a paper rabbit mask wearing a brown cloak following on the ground below, cursing whatever god there was for the rain.

* * *

**(Author's Notes)**

**Hello, everyone! Sorry if I didn't get Dorothea's personality right. I honestly only know the basic parts about the Wild Hunt arc of the manga and beyond. If someone could give me a cliffnotes summary of the events and personalities of characters in a PM, it would be greatly appreciated. Just a quick heads up, until further notice, events in Seattle will not be shown in the story. You'll see why in a few chapters. Sorry, but Hank's fate and what exactly happened to him will be explained in a later chapter. Thank you all for finding this and sticking around to read it. Hope it's to your enjoyment and that you'll check out my other stories as well. If you have any suggestions for the future of this story, or for concepts of other stories you'd like for me to try, go ahead and leave a review or PM me. Until next time Y'all!**


	8. Kill The Grief

Delsin sat in his room in the Night Raid Compound, arms sparking with red lightning and his fully recharged phone blasting music into his ears. Delsin was not ok. Hours earlier, he'd met up with Hank, only to hear something had happened to him as he traveled from the world he was currently in back to Earth. He didn't even know if Hank was alive or not. And to make matters worse, one of his friends was dead. Sheele, drained of all of her blood by the vampire bitched he'd shattered. His anger flared and he absorbed a stack of papers he kept by his bed, so he didn't short out his phone. He turned away from the door as he heard it open. If whoever entered said anything, he didn't hear it. Instead, he felt them wrap their arms around him, trying to comfort him. "That won't work," he said as he took off his ear buds, pausing his music as he did.

"I can at least try," said Akame. Delsin turned around and saw the worried look in her eyes.

"If it's alright with you, I need to be alone right now, Akame."

"Now's precisely when you shouldn't be alone. Seryu told us what happened to Hank. I know what you're going through right now."

"No you don't. How could you?" Akame slapped him.

"You're not the only one who's lost friends! When I was working for the Empire, I saw so many of my comrades cut down! The pain never goes away!"

"And what about the friends whose fate you weren't sure about?!" Akame looked in his eyes and saw he was crying. "I don't know if Hank's ok! And all I can think about is his warning, and what may have happened! Obviously he was gone longer than we think! And in that time, Hank fought the Beast of Kessler's World! And that same Beast could be coming here! Putting everyone in trouble. Putting Seryu and you in trouble! And I can't…" She watched as Delsin broke down completely. "I can't face him… I'm not Cole MacGrath! I'm not strong enough! If the Beast Comes here, I can't…" Delsin paused as Akame pulled him into a kiss. Delsin stared at her as she pulled away.

"You don't need to fight him alone. We're not helpless damsels. And you can beat the Beast if he comes here. You've got help."

"You don't get it. Hank was the most powerful Conduit I know. Sure, Fetch and Eugene could handle scores of DUP by themselves, but Fetch needs a ready source of Neon to work with for her more destructive powers. Eugene is more powerful in the video realms he creates, but Hank? All Hank needs is a single stack of smoke and he could take on an entire army. I saw it myself. He decimated the Dups when he made a deal with Augustine back in Seattle, and that was him holding back to lure me in. When they turned on him, he wiped out whoever was in his way to get back to his daughter. I saw what he could do from a distance and he was only taken down by a surprise attack from me. I don't know what state Hank was in, but it didn't sound good. If the Beast could take Hank down, a copycat like me has no chance."

"You're not a copycat, Delsin. Yes, you've borrowed their powers, but you told me you were able to make it your own. Able to do things Fetch and the others were never able to do. These powers are as much yours as they are theirs. You can beat the Beast. I'll help you do it."

"We both will," said Seryu. Delsin turned to the door and spotted Seryu holding Koro and the lightning pup in her arms. The pup struggled free and jumped onto Delsin's bed before running to him. It licked his face, sensing his emotions and trying to help. Delsin chuckled slightly. "If Hank is as tough as you say he is, he'll make it through this. Whatever the Beast did to him, he'll survive. Somehow I have a feeling he will survive."

"So all I have to go on is a feeling?"

"It's called hope, Delsin. Something you should be familiar with by now. I've seen it in the eyes of the people in the Slums and Market districts. You're fighting for them. They see you fighting to help them. There are some children there who are actually smiling now. They hide from the guard, still. But when I'm out of uniform, I've seen them actually be happy. Since you've been here, you've been a beacon of hope. We can't have you start doubting yourself. Not when we've got two major threats on the horizon."

"The Beast and Esdeath. Do either of you know what she's like?"

"I don't," said Akame. "Not firsthand. Only the stories."

"I've seen her once. She's kind to her subordinates and ruthless on the battlefield."

"Kind to her subordinates?"

"Yes."

"Doesn't sound like a ruthless killer."

"Well she is," said Najenda behind Seryu. Seryu scrambled to attention on instinct and Delsin chuckled, earning him a smack from Seryu and a bite from Koro. The pup shocked the Imperial Arm and the two 'dogs' growled at each other. "How are you feeling, Delsin?"

"Angry, scared, determined."

"And how do you feel about killing the girl who killed Sheele?"

"…Bitter. And angry at myself for losing control of my emotions. Sickened at the fact that I felt satisfied when I saw her frozen body shatter after falling a mile from the sky."

"Which reminds me. I thought you said you could only use one element at a time."

"I thought so too. I wonder if it has something to do with me absorbing them both at the same time. Or maybe…"

"What's up," asked Seryu.

"I remember seeing footage of Cole using ice pillars to launch himself up into the air to get a height advantage over the Militia in New Marais back home."

"How did he do that," asked Akame.

"Maybe he was like me? I don't know. But if he could use two powers at the same time…"

"Maybe you can as well," said Najenda. "Interesting. Have you ever tried it before?"

"Once. When I first got Neon from Fetch. It didn't work then."

"Then maybe you should practice with Lightning and Ice," said Seryu as she pet the lightning pup. "You do have a steady source of lightning now with this little guy." The pup yawned before curling up next to Delsin. "By the way, what are you going to name him?"

"I don't know. It's gotta be something cool. Like Zeus, or Storm. Something lightning related."

"Really, Delsin," asked Seryu.

"What? If I'm naming him, I want him to have a cool name for when he gets bigger."

"You'll have plenty of time to name him later," said Najenda. "For now, you should get to the hideout in the Capital. You and Sayo will need to be in the capital. Seryu, how many more days off were you given before returning to active duty?"

"Three, ma'am."

"Good. Delsin needs an alibi for last night. Come up with something believable and lead them to your house."

"Yes ma'am!"

"Sayo is currently in the hot springs. Go inform her to be ready to leave." Seryu nodded and picked up Koro before heading to the hot springs.

"Lubbock isn't here, is he," asked Delsin.

"He's currently at the hideout getting things ready for you two."

"At least he won't be sneaking a peek at Sayo. Doesn't he have any standards?"

"None," said Leone in the hall.

"It must've been torture for the guy. Being the only straight guy in this team before me and Tatsumi showed up."

"Oh yeah," said Leone. "He was the only straight guy, wasn't he?"

"How do you forget about something like that when you're all living in the same compound?"

"Just don't think about it."

"OK, I need to pack up my stuff. Can all of you…?"

"We'll leave you alone, Delsin," said Najenda as she dragged Leone away from his room. Delsin turned to Akame.

"Hey."

"What is it, Delsin," asked the scarlet eyed assassin.

"I know that kiss was just to snap me out of it. So thanks." Akame blushed before turning away.

"It wasn't just that, Delsin."

"What do you mean?" Akame turned to him. She kissed him again and smiled slightly at him as he blinked in surprise.

"Fetch gave you permission, D," said Seryu as she walked back.

"She was joking… wasn't she?"

"It didn't sound like she was over that device."

"Oh, the radio. Speaking of which, I should leave one here at the compound. Give us a means of communicating."

"Communicating," asked Akame. Delsin grinned and handed her a radio.

"Take this to Najenda. I'll show you how it works." Akame nodded and Delsin pulled out the second radio. Seryu turned to him as she left the room.

"So what are you going to do?"

"About?"

"Me, Akame…"

"Wait, you too?"

"It's not that hard to believe, is it? You've been helping me since the raid, and you've been working close with Akame for a while now. Long enough for her to see your true character."

"I-I don't know. It's kind of unusual, isn't it? One guy being with multiple girls?"

"It is… but… Both me and Akame care about you. We're both willing to help you, no matter what." She walked over to him. "I'm just wondering… if you'll consider it…" Delsin tried swallowing with his suddenly dry throat. It was every guys dream as well as any sensible persons nightmare.

"C-can you give me some time to think it over?" Seryu nodded and kissed his cheek. He cleared his throat and tried controlling the blush that was threatening to creep onto his cheeks as he held up the radio.

"Akame, are you at Najenda yet? Press and hold the button to talk, release to listen."

"I'm here, Delsin," said Najenda.

"Good they work. These devices allow people from my world to communicate across a distance. The antenna at the end of it transmits to either device. And without any other devices like this. We can get a one up on the Imperial forces. For three teams, at least."

"Three?"

"With my charger and a steady supply of energy, my phone can use the same frequency thanks to a modification Eugene made to it. We can transmit to two devices instead of just one. This way we can make more coordinated moves try and set up some kind of withdrawal and reinforcement tactics. Though these things only have an effective range of 20-35 miles depending on elevation and the environment."

"Remind me to thank your friends for this contribution to the Revolutionary Army's efforts, Delsin."

"That's if we hear from them again."

"We will," said Seryu. "I'm sure of it."

"Thanks, Seryu. So, orders, Boss?"

"Same as before. Is everything ready?"

"Just gotta pack. Then we'll head out."

"Good."

"Delsin out." Delsin grinned as he flicked off the radio. "Heh… always wanted to say that."

* * *

**(One month later)**

Delsin was chasing a couple of thugs through the Market. The last of a would be slave trader cell he and the regular guards in the Markets and Slums had been taking down slowly but surely since he and Sayo had moved into Seryu's home. He fired a Cinder Rocket into the air, signaling his backup. Sayo jumped out of an alley and tripped up one of the thugs with a club swung at their legs. The last thug kept running and managed to evade Koro's arm by a narrow margin. "Dammit, slow down," shouted Delsin. "Why are bad guys always so fast?!"

"Less talking more chasing," said Seryu as she managed to catch up to him, Koro shrunk down and hanging onto her shoulder. The thug pushed a woman out of his way and into a window, cutting her head open. "I got her! Take him down!"

"Don't have to tell me twice!" Delsin Smoke Dashed to try and catch up and groaned as he felt the curse spread on his arm. "Dammit… not now." Getting impatient, Delsin aimed and fired a Smoke Shot at the thug. It just barely missed and was about to hit a woman with blue hair who was enjoying a frozen treat on a bench. "Oh, man… Look out!" The woman moved fast, quicker than Delsin had seen anyone other than Akame or Leone with Lionel activated. Her umbrella blocked the shot and a sword was quickly impaled in the thugs chest. Delsin stopped short and watched as the thug dropped to the ground, bleeding and dying. "Hey, what the hell?! You didn't need to do that!" He bent a knee to check on the man and Smoke Dashed backwards as she aimed her sword at him. "Whoa!"

"What are you doing," asked the woman.

"Helping him. He needs to stand trial."

"So he's a criminal. Leave him to die."

"Listen, lady. I don't know who the hell you think you are but…"

"Eugene," shouted Seryu as she ran over. "Did you get…" Delsin turned around and saw her skid to a stop before staring at the woman in fear. "G-G-General Esdeath!"

"Wait," said Delsin as he turned to the woman. "You're Esdeath?"

"So you've heard of me. And who are you?" Seryu stood next to Delsin and saluted.

"Ma'am! I am Sergeant Seryu Ubiquitous! This man is Eugene Simms! He's been sanctioned by General Budo to assist the Imperial Guard with the apprehension of criminals within the Market and Slums Districts, Ma'am!" Delsin stood stock still as Esdeath circled him. Looking him up and down.

"Ever hear of personal space," muttered Delsin. She leaned in close to him, looking him straight in the eye and giving him a full view of her cleavage. Delsin stared her down. "Can I help you?"

Esdeath said nothing and stood straight up. She turned to Seryu. "Sergeant Ubiquitous, how strong would you say Mr. Simms here is?"

"Um… very strong, Ma'am. He pretty much almost took down a drug trafficking cell by himself. The only reason he didn't was because I insisted he take myself and some of the guard with him. We lost three of our own and Eugene got out without a scratch despite the superior numbers of the traffickers." Esdeath looked at Delsin's tonfas.

"You're proficient with those?"

"These? Honestly, no. Seryu's only just started training me. I'm still waiting for my weapons to be relinquished from evidence after that Zanku incident."

"I told you, Eugene! Budo still needs to sign off on it!"

"It's been a month!"

"You fought Zanku," asked Esdeath.

"Yeah. Well, not alone. Had help from some girl who turned out to be from Night Raid. I'd have taken Zanku in for his killing if only I didn't run out of smoke and have to retreat to recharge."

"Speaking of your smoke. I've never seen anything like that before. Is it an Imperial Arm?"

"No. It's not. Excuse me." He Dashed passed her and pressed his fingers to the thugs neck. "Still alive, but barely." Delsin used Smoke Heal and closed up the man's wound before putting him in Smoke restraints. He turned to Seryu. "Ayumi close by?"

"Her patrol should be coming by about now." Delsin nodded and fired another Cinder Rocket into the air to get Ayumi's attention. He felt eyes staring at him and turned to Esdeath.

"Can I help you?"

"Maybe… Mr. Simms, I expect you to come to a tournament I'm holding soon. There's a valuable prize for the winner." She glanced at Seryu and turned her attention to Koro. "That's an Imperial Arm, isn't it?"

"Yes, Ma'am! Magical Beast Transformation: Hekatonkheires!"

"Arf," barked Koro, mimicking her salute. Esdeath turned to her.

"Hmm… Carry on, Sergeant."

"Yes Ma'am!" She cast one last look towards Delsin before walking away. Delsin thought he saw a slight sway in her step but put it to the back of his mind as he noticed a brief flash of blonde hair on the roof tops as Ayumi and another guard walked over.

"Saw your smoke," said Ayumi. "Got another one?"

"Last one. For now at least," said Seryu.

"There's always another. But what can you do? Not like we can take away someone's free will. One of the downsides of being human." Seryu turned to Ayumi.

"Did you know General Esdeath was back in the Capital?"

"She is?!"

"Have you seen her," asked the other guard.

"She was just here," said Delsin as he finished putting the thug in proper restraints. "Almost killed this guy before we could even bring him to the cells for trial."

"Is that a bad thing," asked Ayumi.

"Yeah. For one, we can try and get information on who exactly made 'purchases' from his ring, find those people and get them free from whatever hell they're in." Delsin rifled through the thugs pockets and pulled out a strange coin. "The hell is this?" Seryu took the coin from him.

"I don't know. But whatever it is, it's evidence."

"You guys need help dragging him back?"

"Yes," said Seryu. "I need to go back and help Sayo with the last one."

"No need," said Sayo as she walked over. "I got someone." Delsin looked passed her and spotted Celia wearing her rabbit mask and dragging the thug Sayo took down behind her. Celia threw him on top of the other thug and made a motion of dusting off her hands. He tried getting up only to pause as Celia shot a Paper Spear passed him, scaring him into unconsciousness.

"You can do the same things as Eugene," asked Ayumi.

"No, he can do the same things as me," said Celia. "Who do you think taught him what he knows?" Seryu and Delsin exchanged a look before Ayumi smiled and went over to Celia, holding out her hand.

"Well, any friend of Eugene is a friend to the Imperial Guard!" Celia held out her hand and shook Ayumi's.

"I'm Saisei."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Corporal Ayumi. I'm Seryu's subordinate in the Imperial Guard!" Celia smiled behind her mask.

"Let me help you bring these guys to the Palace. Coming, student?" She turned to Delsin making his eye twitch slightly.

"You know what…"

"We can't risk a fight here," whispered Sayo as she got close to Delsin. "Play along until we get back to the hideout." Delsin groaned slightly and picked up one of the thugs.

"Let's go…" Delsin carried the man on his shoulder as Celia dragged the other.

"There's a cart nearby carrying the rest of them," said Seryu.

"When did you set that up," asked Delsin.

"When you went after these two just before I got into position. You were right, free climbing is faster than running through the streets."

"Told you." They got to the cart and found the rest of the slavers unceremoniously dropped into it. "Ladies first, I guess." Celia threw the thug into the cart and Delsin placed him in, leaning against one of the others. He turned to Ayumi and handed her a note. "This is where they were hiding out. Can you try and find anything that may lead to the people they've taken? We couldn't find anything out of the ordinary but Seryu says you've got a nose for this sort of thing."

"You can count on me, Eugene."

"Thank you, Ayumi," said Seryu. "We'll get these guys back to the Palace for interrogation see if they can tell us anything about their 'transactions' while you search around. This is now a formal investigation, Mr. Simms. Your restrictions are back to the Market and Slums only. Your assistance is much appreciated, and we will ask you for help when General Budo deems it necessary."

"No need to be formal, Seryu," said Ayumi as she started for the location. "We know your boyfriend's been living with you for the last month or so. You can just tell him to go back to business as usual." Seryu turned beet red and Delsin turned to Ayumi.

"Uh… what exactly do you mean?"

"Come on! We're not stupid! You two are too close not to be seeing each other and I spotted you heading for her family home not that long ago."

"That's not… We're… not…" Seryu tried getting her words out, Koro patting her arms as she instinctively squeezed him in her embarrassment. Delsin cleared his throat.

"What Seryu is trying to say is… we're not dating. Seryu offered for me to stay at her home so I could save up enough money for a place of my own. Sayo fell in the same boat. Except she needs money to send back to her village."

"Where are you working?"

"A book shop in the market," said Sayo. "It doesn't pay too much, but with enough time I'll get enough. Eugene helped me out with some bandits, and I offered to help him with his saving people thing."

"It's called being a hero," said Delsin. "Thank you very much."

"If you ask me it's asking for attention," said Ayumi.

"Well it's not about that. Someone needs to stick up for the little guy. I don't care if people love or hate me. I just want to help people. It's what my brother would've done."

"Oh right. I forgot Seryu told me about your brother. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Now if you'll excuse us, me and Sayo need to get back to the shop."

"Thanks again, Eugene," said Ayumi.

"No problem." He waved them off before turning to Sayo. "We should report this in."

"Right. I'll head to the shop. You try and see if you can track Esdeath."

"Stealth isn't my strong suit. And I think Leone will tell you it's a bad idea to track her down."

"She was here?"

"Unless you know another blonde who can scale rooftops, then yeah. I spotted her briefly when Esdeath was looking me over, keeping her back to the building Leone was on, almost like she was baiting her. If she knew someone was there, she's more trouble than I suspected. Leone should be back at the hideout by now. I'm gonna have a talk with General Budo about my chain, at least."

"Be careful. We don't need them pissed off at you. You're the only hero the Capital has."

"No I'm not. It's got you and Seryu."

"Thanks for the sentiment, but neither of us hold a candle to you. You are the Banner Man, after all."

"I swear I'm going to string up whoever came up with that damn name. It's not cool at all!"

"It's how the people know you. Deal with it."

"They could at least call me something cooler. I had a few names thought up back in Seattle. 'Smoke-tastic Man!' 'The Smoker!'"

"Stick with naming your powers, Delsin," said Celia.

"Shouldn't you be, I don't know, anywhere else but here?"

"But I wouldn't be near you."

"Can you just… make sure they've got all of the men in the cart? There should be 12."

"Fine." Celia walked away.

"She's right about the names though," said Sayo. Delsin rolled his eyes.

"Everyone's a critic." Delsin walked in a random direction before heading down an alley and checking his hand. He saw the markings on his palm and cursed before switching to paper by absorbing a stack he kept in his packet. In the last month, he'd learned that the curse was only active the longer he used Smoke.

"I'm sorry, Delsin," said a voice. Delsin jumped and looked around before he spotted a small rift, barely the size of a quarter.

"Kessler?"

"Yes."

"Did you know I'd be cursed?"

"I knew it was a possibility. But I'd hoped you'd be able to avoid it. I'm sorry."

"You could've warned me! And for that matter, you could've warned Hank before he went to your world!"

"I tried to steer him back home! But Hank got turned around in here! He went for the first opening he could find! By the time I managed to pull him out, the Beast had already attacked him! And then he got through."

"The Beast is in the rift?"

"Not currently, but now that he knows they exist, he can figure out where a rift will open. Your world is safe, but this one is in danger."

"How long till he gets here?"

"…"

"Your silence isn't filling me with confidence, Kessler."

"I don't know. Currently he's laying waste to a random world he found, one that's out of sync, time wise, with yours and this one. I don't know how long he's been there, but it may have been long enough for him to bring it to ruin. Once he's done there, he'll come back through the rift."

"What does he want?"

"Me. The only one who can stop him."

"Then why don't you?!"

"I'm an echo! The real Kessler was killed by your world's Cole MacGrath, remember?! I'm his remnants. His memories. I only have a minimal interaction with other worlds and that means pulling people through the rifts. It's how you got there."

"So what? I'm the only one who's going to fight the Beast?"

"I'm working on that. I'm not about to let you fight him alone. You're not ready, and with that curse…"

"You can see events that may happen in there, right? Do you see anyway to get rid of this curse, so it doesn't kill me?"

"…No. My apologies, Delsin."

"As far as I'm concerned, your apology is worth shit. This is all your fault! If you had just fought the Beast…"

"I would've risked my daughters losing their father!" Delsin stared at the rift. "If I had fought the Beast, I risked dying! I'd have risked making my daughters live the rest of their lives without me and constantly being hounded by people who would've claimed they admired me for my sacrifice!"

"And the alternative was better?! Running for your life for who knows how long?! Having them live in fear for constantly?! How was that better?!"

"I did what I did to save my family! Something I know you are well familiar with! Your crusade against the Department of Unified Protection was started when Brooke Augustine hurt your tribe, your family!"

"It's not the same! I didn't lose myself!"

"But you could have!" Delsin watched the rift flare as it reacted to Kessler's anger. "You could've easily taken the easy path and hurt countless people simply because they were in your way."

"But I didn't. Because my brother kept me from that path. Something I'm sure Trish and Zeke tried doing as well." Kessler stayed silent as he mulled over Delsin's words. "We make our choices and need to live by them. But we're not making them alone. I had my brother. Now I have Fetch, Eugene, Seryu, Akame and the rest of Night Raid. And I plan on listening to them. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get my gear back." Delsin started walking away.

"…Delsin. Before you go."

"What now?"

"When you get to the palace, wander around a bit. When you find a wrought iron door, go through. What's inside will interest you."

"Ok, could you be less cryptic?" Delsin turned back to the rift and saw it was closed. He sighed before heading towards the Palace. Against his better judgement, he followed Kessler's advice and roamed the halls of the palace, Imperial Guards who recognized him waving and saluting as he walked passed him. He kept an eye out for Honest and for Esdeath, wanting to avoid them as much as possible. Not long after regular shipments of food and warm clothes had been sent to the slums, Delsin had encountered the Imperial Assassination Squad. Akame's group before joining Night Raid. They'd tried killing him, only to be restrained to the ground by Smoke. The only exception being a young girl who'd stood by, only interested in eating her bag of cookies.

* * *

**(Three Weeks Ago)**

Delsin restrained a thug who'd been trying to shake down a clothing merchant and kneeled in front of him. "Ok, what guy decides a clothing merchant in the middle of the Capital City is the best person to shake down when they know I'm here?"

"Idiots," said the merchant. "Thank you, Eugene. Things are a lot more peaceful around here with you around."

"You should do something about that for when I'm gone. I'm not going to be here forever."

"A fact we're aware of," said a baker as she walked over. She handed him a bag. "Here you are."

"How much?"

"On the house. It's for the urchins in the Slums District."

"I'll bring it to them. Just let me signal the guards." He sent a Cinder Rocket into the air and started for the Slums. He was halfway to where the kids lived when he was tackled down an alley way. "Ow…" Delsin stood up and looked around seeing a group of boys and girls, all in their mid to late teens, standing in front of him. "Ok…" He set the bag down after making sure the bread wasn't squashed too much and turned to the group. "Black outfits, creepy masks, deadly weapons. I get it. You're a band, right? And you want to say you admire what I'm doing for this city. It's either that or your part of the Imperial assassination team called Dark Squad."

"So you've heard of us," said the tallest of the group.

"Yeah. A bunch of the Imperial Guards talk. Rumors about you guys. I can only guess that Honest sent you to kill me. He can't be happy, knowing I was able to turn the Emperor against him for a moment." I popped his knuckles before getting ready. "So. Who's first?"

"I'll take him," said a girl as she charged at him. Delsin Smoke Dashed around her and restrained her to the ground.

"That's one loser down." He lobbed a Smoke Bomb at them and scaled a wall beside him as they coughed, trying to clear their lungs. With a height advantage, Delsin fired shots at the Dark Squad members on the ground, idly keeping an eye on the girl sitting on the roof in front of him just eating a bag of cookies. He managed to knock out another, a girl with short black hair, and stunned the tallest member long enough for him to execute a Comet Drop and knock them off their feet. He restrained him as something grappled him from behind, thinking they had him pinned for a quick stab to the ribs. Delsin shook his head and Smoke Dashed away, forcing the assassin to stop midmotion He whistled, getting their attention before slamming his tonfa into their guts and kneeing them away from him. One went down immediately while the other staggered. "And… this is where you fall down." The grappler finally keeled over after Delsin got bored and shot him in the head with a Smoke Shot.

"Are you going to try, or just sit there eating those weird cookies?" He looked up at the girl and noticed she looked similar to Akame. _'This must be Kurome.'_ He climbed back up to his roof top and sat across from her. "Because this can go one of two ways. Either you're pinned to the ground beneath us, or I can just walk away, and we go our separate ways."

"I am supposed to kill you, you know," said the girl.

"And yet you didn't join your team in the initial fight. Which means you were waiting for them to either succeed or screw up so you could come in for the kill. And that sword of yours looks sharp as hell and well maintained."

"Anything I can do to try and kill you was already used by my team. I'm a melee specialist, I wouldn't get a hit in."

"Oh don't give me that crap. Assassins need to learn multiple ways of killing people. Otherwise they're lackluster assassins. And a good fighter always has a trick up their sleeve. You could easily use those tricks to try and get the drop on me. But for some reason, you're not interested in killing me. At least not right now."

"You're smarter than you look."

"Oh thank you, I love being insulted and complimented at the same time." Delsin dropped back down to the alley and grabbed the bag of bread before turning back to her. "Until the next time you try to kill me." He saluted and walked away.

"If my team alerts you to us, that is."

"Yeah, that was kinda stupid for assassins. Let me guess, used to people not putting up much of a fight?"

"That obvious?"

"I've faced nameless thugs smarter than that guy who thought getting me in a hold would work."

* * *

**(Present Day)**

Delsin found the wrought iron door and looked around. Seeing no one nearby, Delsin made his way in by using Paper Thin and sliding under the door. He looked around and found what seemed like a butcher shop. "I don't think the Emperor would have a private butcher. And I doubt Honest would want meat that fresh." Delsin looked around before making his way to a worktable where a few tools were lying around a blue piece of paper. Delsin picked up the paper and read what was on it. "These are the Ray Sphere schematics. Can't believe I'm saying this, but thank you, Kessler." Hearing someone heading for the door, Delsin put everything back and used Paper Thin to hide between a cabinet and a wall.

"I can't believe this," shouted a man with black hair, a line of white hair on his left side. He wore a lab coat and was clearly upset. "Not only did Dorothea end up dead, but her Imperial Arm was taken as well! And I was planning on using it for the Ray Sphere!" Delsin peeked out slightly and saw him going over the plans. "At least her death led to one good thing. Now I can use her resources to complete the final design! Oh, this is going to be stylish!" Delsin hid back behind cover as Dr. Stylish pulled something out and wrote down a few notes before setting them down next to the schematics.

"I should really test out the prototype first. Make sure everything is covered. Now, where is that Seryu girl?" Delsin held back a growl as Stylish left his workshop and locked the door behind him. Delsin came out from cover and grabbed both the schematics as well as the notes before using Paper Thin and leaving the room. He made his way over to the Imperial Guard quarters and found Budo making new recruits go through rigorous training.

"General Budo! Just the man I was looking for!" Budo ordered the recruits to keep going before turning back to Delsin.

"Mr. Simms. Have you considered my offer?"

"I have and I have to respectfully decline. Part of why what I do works is the ability to move around freely. Get to places faster than your guards can. If I want to help the people, I need to keep that freedom in order to get to places faster. I can't be stuck on a patrol that people have to hunt down because we can't let people know about the routes in case we get ambushed by thugs or the Revolutionary Army."

"I see. Very well, Mr. Simms. Although I'd rather have you on a leash, I won't deny that you have been a help to the Imperial Guard. Then with your case pleaded, you're now aloud full access to use your powers throughout the Capital."

"And what about my gear?"

"The investigation is closed. I've already given your chain and shield to Sergeant Ubiquitous. And let me tell you something, Mr. Simms." Delsin backed up slightly as Budo leaned in close. "If you so much as hurt Sergeant Ubiquitous in any way. I will throw you in a cell at the bottom of the ocean and let the sharks be your jailors."

"Uh… me and Seryu aren't in that kind of relationship, General."

"Corporal Ayumi says otherwise."

"She's spreading gossip, sir. I've just been living with her in her family home while I work in a book shop to save up money for a place of my own." Budo eyed him before straightening up.

"Very well then. Please understand, I knew her father, and while I couldn't look after her myself, I did try and make sure she didn't go down a dark and deplorable path. A path you've saved her from. On behalf of her family, and the Imperial Guard, thank you, Eugene Simms."

"I just did what anyone should do." Delsin grimaced slightly before turning to the general. "Uh… General. There's something you should know. I think Dr. Stylish has put something highly dangerous in Seryu. A bomb."

"A bomb?"

"In the back of her head. I meant to tell you sooner, but we got worried what the man might do to her if he found out from any third party."

"Why do you think it's a bomb?"

"Seryu was told it was a bomb, actually. By Dr. Stylish himself."

"This is a serious accusation, Eugene. Do you have any proof?"

"We'd need to open up the back of Seryu's head." Budo gave it some thought.

"If there truly is a bomb, both you and Seryu need to report to the Imperial Guard's medic for examination. As soon as possible. We need to get it out as soon as possible."

"I'll let her know, sir." Budo nodded before turning back to the recruits. Delsin made his way to the Palace gates and bumped into Esdeath as she pushed her way in. Delsin groaned as he pinched his nose after it was hit by the oak gate. "Ow… Watch where you're going, lady!"

"You're the one who should be watching where you're going," said Esdeath.

"I was. You're the one who slammed into me!" Delsin groaned and went to a nearby torch to absorb the smoke and heal, wiping the blood that was below his formerly broken nose. "Just because you're a general doesn't mean you own the place. In fact, your boss, the Emperor! Owns this place." Delsin turned to her and found her rapier aimed at his throat. He batted the sword away and turned into smoke when she tried to impale him. He Dashed behind her. "Not that I don't like being potentially stabbed, but I gotta go." Delsin started walking away from her when he felt her eyeing him again. He Smoke Dashed around a corner and shivered slightly. "What the fuck is her deal?" Delsin made his way to Seryu's house and found her and Sayo looking somber in the dining room. "What happened?"

"Tatsumi just returned to base," said Sayo. "Wearing Incursio's armor and carrying Bulat on his shoulder."

"They encountered the men who were impersonating Night Raid," said Seryu. "Esdeath's Three Beasts." Delsin paled and moved into a seat next to Seryu. "Bulat took out two of them singlehandedly but the second one poisoned him. Tatsumi handled the last one after bonding with Incursio."

"Now we've lost two friends…" said Sayo. Delsin stared at the ground beneath his feet and for the first time since he'd gotten to this world of monsters, Delsin broke down. He'd failed to save Reggie in Seattle. He'd been unable to help Sheele and Hank. And now Bulat was gone. Seryu went over to Delsin and hugged him. Sayo mimicked the action as Delsin let out everything.

* * *

**(Alternate Earth 3)**

The Beast grinned as bullets rained against him, doing nothing. A massive blast of energy wiped out the National Guard of this world's United States and the Beast laughed, reveling in the destruction. As he tore apart a tank, a man covered in metal ran up to him and punched him, knocking him back a few feet. "Looks like someone can put up a fight."

"Someone's gotta stop a monster like you!" Shrapnel was fired from the man's hands as he strafed around the Beast. The Beast tanked the shrapnel and sent a massive wave of energy to the metal man. He stood his ground and growled. "What the hell is it going to take to bring you down?!"

"Cole MacGrath." The Beast roared and time seemed to slow around the metal man as concentrated energy blasted him off his feet. Behind him, a rift opened, and the metal man was pulled through by Kessler. The Beast spotted him and growled. "Speak of the Devil…" Kessler glared at the Beast.

"Come and get me, Bastard!" The rift closed as the Beast charged at it.

"MACGRATH!"

* * *

**(Inside the rift)**

"What's going on," asked the metal man as he looked around.

"You're between space and time. I'm sending you to a place where the Beast will ultimately end up. He has to be beaten there. You're a Conduit of exceptional skill. You will be a great help against him and in the civil war."

"Civil war, what?!"

"I don't have time to explain! Just help however you can! I need to get someone else. Good luck."

"Wait, wait, wait!" The metal man screamed as he fell from a great height and landed in a field in the middle of nowhere. He groaned as he stood up and his armor disappeared. "Dick…"

Kessler turned from the rift overlooking the Imperial World and moved along the 'tunnel'. "Two more people. Hopefully they'll be enough."

* * *

**(Author's Notes)**

**Sorry to leave things off here. I know no one is a fan of constant cliffhangers, but after Tatsumi gets Incursio is when things start ramping up in the Capital. I would say there will be little cliffhangers after this, but that'd be a promise I could never keep. The Jaegers are coming people! And I want to know who you think Metal Man is. Until next time, Y'all!**


	9. Kill The Imperial Arm

Delsin leaned against a wall at the Night Raid compound. They'd just held a small service for Bulat, similar to the one they'd held for Sheele a month ago. Delsin hadn't joined them outside. Too much was on his mind now. The Beast was coming. Their heaviest hitter was dead and Tatsumi was forced to pick up the slack. Sure he was willing, but he was still training. Their morale was low. And Delsin was now afraid. The clock was ticking. Delsin shook his head and went out to the cliffside with the others. Akame was the first to see him and rushed over to him. He was met with a hug, tears flowing onto his shoulder. He held her close to him, letting her sob and let everything out. He turned to Tatsumi who was praying for Bulat in front of the grave they dug for him. "There was nothing you could've done, Tatsumi."

"I know," said the rookie assassin. "Doesn't mean I don't blame myself." Delsin clocked him on the cheek.

"Stop it. There's not much you could've done against an Imperial Arm by yourself, and you know it." He grabbed Incursio where it lie on the ground next to him and slammed it into Tatsumi's chest. "But you know what you can do, now? Honor his memory, and his choice of passing Incursio to you. We've still got jobs to do. We have time to grieve right now, and right now only. Then it's back to business."

"Well said, Delsin," said Najenda. Everyone turned to her and saw she was geared up, ready to leave.

"Where are you going, Boss," asked Sayo.

"I'm going to try and see if we can get some backup with the loss of first Sheele, and now Bulat. I'll be gone for a few weeks, so I'm giving you your orders for now." She looked around. "Where's Seryu?"

"Imperial Palace," said Delsin. "She was ordered to attend a meeting headed by General Esdeath herself. She told me that scuttlebutt was talking about other Imperial Arms users being called as well."

"This can't be good."

"We think this is her creating a team to replace the Three Beasts, but until we hear back from her, it's just a theory." Najenda thought for a second.

"I'll let the Revolutionary Army generals know. For now, Akame will handle the jobs while I am gone. Delsin, I hear you were invited to Esdeath's tournament?"

"Personally. Why?"

"Join it. Find out what this tournament is about and what the special reward is."

"I feel like this won't end well."

"Be careful, then. And have Seryu remember to get to the Imperial Medic. If the bomb in her head is what you think it is, don't let it remain active. Understand?"

"We want this thing out of her head more than anyone, Boss. We won't forget."

"Good." Najenda left and Delsin sighed before remembering his gift from home. He went inside and found his bag from Hank before bringing it with him outside.

"Ok, haven't done this without stencils in a long time, but hopefully I still got it." Delsin walked over to the compound's outer wall, faced away from any roads, and began carefully painting Sheele and Bulat using the spray paint from home. After about an hour, he finished and sighed as he examined his work. Delsin had painted portraits of their fallen friends, smiling at the members of Night Raid. Above them were the words 'We love you guys, and we're sure gonna miss you.' Night Raid stared at his painting before Mine broke down and hugged him.

"Thank you. Thank you for bringing her back."

"Mine…"

"You didn't have to. You could've just left her body with the Imperials, but you didn't. You went and brought her back. I didn't say it before, so I'll say it now. Thank you, Delsin." She smiled sadly at him and he sighed.

"You're welcome, Pinkie." He turned to Akame as Mine walked away. "Can we talk?" Akame nodded and followed him inside as everyone said their final goodbyes to Bulat. Delsin sighed as he sat in the dining room. She sat next to him.

"What's on your mind?"

"Kessler contacted me. The same time Tatsumi probably got back with Bulat a few days ago. The Beast has found his way to another world. I don't know how long he's been there, but Kessler thinks it's been long enough that he's destroyed it already."

"In just a few days?"

"For the Beast, it could only be a few days, or it could've been months or years. We don't know for certain. We do know that he can now tell when a rift opens. We need to be ready at all times. Also…" He held up his hand and started emitting smoke. She saw the symbols start creeping up his arm until he drained a nearby torch, making them recede back to his hand. "Now watch." He absorbed a stack of papers he had in his jacket and flared his pages. No markings. "The curse seems to just be on my Smoke abilities for some reason."

"How?"

"Well, it's never been placed on something like me, before I'm guessing." Delsin sighed. "But I need to find a way stop the curse. Preferably where I keep my arm in one piece." He took her hand. "Because it looks like, for the time being, I'm here. My world is safe from the Beast, for now, at least, so I have a second home. This world. And while I'm in this world, I have two people here I know I want to protect. One of those people is you." She turned to him in surprise.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I've given it some thought. I know Seryu told you about what she heard Fetch said, how she'd be ok if I pursued other girls. If you…" Delsin didn't get to finish speaking as Akame pressed her lips to his own. Delsin held her as close as he could, returning the kiss. For Delsin, the emotions of the last month were numbed, lost as he and Akame kissed. They only pulled apart when someone cleared their throat. They breathed heavily for a second before turning to the newcomer. They blushed as they saw Seryu grinning at them.

"And here I was hoping I'd get to kiss you first," she said as Koro hung from her shoulder. "Oh, well. Come on. I've got news for everyone." Delsin nodded and followed after Akame. Seryu stopped him briefly and pulled him into a kiss. Delsin blushed and stuttered slightly, not expecting it as Seryu giggled and followed after Akame. _'That was bolder than she normally is. Wonder what's up.'_ He followed after his two girlfriends, something that will take time for him to get used to and stood with everyone as Seryu stood next to Najenda's seat. "Where's the boss?"

"You just missed her," said Lubbock. "She's trying to see if they can spare reinforcements for our assassin division, since you heroes haven't lost anyone."

"Sorry about Bulat. I didn't interact with him much, but I knew he was a great guy."

"Don't worry about it," said Tatsumi. "So, what do you have to tell us?"

"Right. Well, it's not good news, but it's something. General Esdeath, with the deaths of her Three Beasts, has created a new group within the Empire. She calls us the Jaegers."

"Us," asked Mine.

"There are six of us in total. Myself, a man from the Incineration Squad, Bols, a guy who seems like the fishing version of Tatsumi."

"You mean trying too hard to impress everyone?"

"Hey," shouted Tatsumi as Mine chuckled.

"More like from the boons, joining the military to send money back home," said Seryu with a grin. "With us is Dr. Stylish, a guy named Run and a name Akame should be familiar with, Kurome." Akame tensed slightly as Delsin turned to Seryu.

"Short black hair, scarlet eyes like Akame, katana and a bag of cookies?"

"You know her," asked Akame.

"Met her, and Dark Squad. Honest wasn't happy when I convinced the Emperor to order him to give up his personal stores and wardrobe to the people in the Slums district. Sent Dark Squad to kill me without any knowledge of what I can do. Kicked all of their asses besides Kurome who sat above us watching the whole thing and eating those weird cookies."

"That's not like her," said Akame.

"Well, one of the first things Dark Squad did was alert me to their presence as one of them tackled me into an alley way. Their melee attacks couldn't hit me so Kurome just watched, trying to see if should could spot any weakness. She just let me walk away after that."

"She's normally not so cautious."

"She normally doesn't face people who can turn into smoke, either."

"How did you get here," asked Sayo. "I'd have thought Esdeath would've kept her new team close."

"I thought that was going to be the case as well," said Seryu. "But General Budo told her I was due for some time off. Don't worry, I made sure I wasn't followed. Even stopped by home to shower and change before using an old tunnel to leave the city and come here."

"That's good," said Delsin. "That way, even if you were followed to your home, unless they know about the tunnel, they'll think you're at home. Me and Sayo will head there soon, you should get back just in case they decide to… give a thorough search of your home."

"Good idea." She kissed him on the lips before smiling. "See you two back home. Come on, Koro!" Koro barked from where he'd been growling at Thor, the Lightning Pup. Thor yipped before running at Delsin and jumping up at him. Delsin grinned as Lubbock stared between him and Seryu.

"Did the rest of us miss something?"

"None of your business, Pervert." Koro barked in agreement before growling at the green haired assassin.

"Speaking of which," said Leone. "Thor's been a good Lubbock repellant, Delsin. Thanks for suggesting we use him as a guard dog."

"Thor's just protecting his pack," said Delsin as he pet the small pup, absorbing the small amount of lightning he was emitting. "And it's better he stays here because Danger Beasts aren't allowed in the Capital, I can't even keep him as a pet for a good reason because no one knows about my lightning." He smiled as Thor jumped into Akame's arms before licking her cheek.

"At least Akame has someone who eats as much meat as she does," said Tatsumi. Delsin grinned as Thor barked. "Anyway, what do you think that tournament thing is about?"

"Don't know man. But there is a cash prize. Both of us should enter, increase the chance of winning. Then, all the money goes to you and Sayo for your village."

"You sure, man?"

"Yeah. I don't need it. You two need it more than I do."

"I don't think both of you should enter," said Lubbock. "One of us is strong enough."

"Then maybe Delsin should do it," said Leone. "He's well known in the Capital. He won't seem out of place."

"Fine with me. After this last month, I need to blow off some steam," said Delsin as his arms sparked slightly. "When is it?"

"Two days," said Sayo. "Seryu has a pamphlet about it in her room at the house."

"Those of us who can enter the Capital will cheer you on, Delsin," said Leone.

"Thanks guys. And with my gear back, this'll be easy."

"Don't jinx yourself, Delsin," said Mine. "Nothing stops you short faster than Karma."

"Karma's on my side!"

**(One day later- tournament finals)**

"Ahh," shouted out Delsin as he was tossed across the arena and almost out of bounds. "Me and my big mouth…" Delsin rolled to the side and avoided a maul aimed at his chest. He wrapped his chain around the pommel and pulled it away from the guy before kicking his feet out from under him. Delsin Smoke Dashed to where his shield flew off to after an earlier attack and found it out of bounds. "Oh, come on!"

"Rrragh," shouted his opponent as they charged him.

"Come on, Eugene," he heard from the crowd. Glancing up, he spotted Ayumi and some of the off duty guards cheering him on. He knew Night Raid was currently somewhere out of sight of the arena and Seryu was sitting with Esdeath and the Jaegers. Thinking fast, Delsin fired a Cinder Rocket at the shield. The impact sent the shield spinning right towards him, forcing him to duck as it sailed over him and into the stomach of his opponent. Delsin grinned and dropped a Smoke Bomb at his feet and shot into the air for an Orbital Drop as it went off.

Esdeath watched the man she knew as Eugene Simms fought. Each battle had shown her the strength Seryu told her about, and his tactical ability. With each round, Eugene was able to outmaneuver and outthink his opponents. Even when not using his smoke and only relying on his chosen weapons. A shield and, to her confusion, a chain. Both of which he used with the familiarity and skill of a practiced warrior. He'd been able to prove how much strength and skill he had with each win. And now he was at the final fight. Esdeath watched as he used his smoke to blind and stun his opponent before turning into smoke himself.

Instead of maneuvering himself around the man like he did with his other opponents, he launched himself into the air. As he reached his apex, eye level with Esdeath's box, the general saw a carefree smile on his face and blushed darkly as Delsin turned to the ground and shot himself forward. "Everything alright, General," asked her aide, Run.

"Yes. Everything's just fine." She watched Delsin land before standing up. Delsin landed on the ground, knocking his opponent off his feet and across the arena. The man landed out of bounds, knocked out, and in Smoke Restraints. Delsin grinned and gave a thumbs up to the guards as the crowd cheered from his display. He smiled as he egged them on, practically feeling Seryu shake her head in exasperation. He stopped when he heard the cheering dying down behind him. He turned around and spotted Esdeath making her way down to him.

"Guess I should be honored, big lady on top bringing me the reward herself. Thought you guys normally had people for this." Delsin was busy hooking his shield back onto his back to notice the blush on the general's cheeks. "So, what's this special prize you told me about…?" Delsin stopped when he found a collar placed around his neck. "The hell…?!" Esdeath smiled at him, a full blush on her face.

"You get to be with me…"

"Hey, now hold on…" Delsin was about to Smoke Dash out of the collar when she slammed her heel into his gut, knocking the wind out of him. As he keeled over, Esdeath hit him on the back of the neck and knocked him out. Night Raid held themselves back from going to help them, Leone stating it would be suicide. Seryu rushed over to where Esdeath was dragging Delsin behind her.

"Uh… General Esdeath? What exactly are you doing?"

"Making Mr. Simms here my new lover." Seryu stopped short as Esdeath's words hit her. A brief moment of anger sparked in her before she calmed herself. Koro barked in surprise, imagining flames erupt in her eyes before they disappeared. She shook herself before chasing after Esdeath.

"Um… General Esdeath. Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean…"

"What's wrong, Seryu?"

"W-what if he has a girlfriend?"

"Well, I'll put her out of his mind." Koro tapped on her arms as she squeezed in anger as Esdeath walked away. _'…Hell no…'_ Seryu spotted a flash of white out of her peripheral vision and moved towards it. Esdeath turned around to see if Seryu was still following and saw she was gone. "Seryu?"

Seryu went to where she saw the flash of white and aimed her tonfa gun around a corner. "Celia, come out. Now." Celia walked into view, arms in the air.

"Hello… Seryu."

"Stop and listen. Get a message to Night Raid. Delsin is safe, I'll handle it. Don't make a move. Esdeath is too strong for any of them to handle as they are right now."

"She's not too much for me to handle."

"She is. Trust me. Let this play out, and Delsin can get out of his current situation. I'm not about to let the general… have him." Celia gave her a look through her mask before nodding and running away. She put her tonfa gun away and went back over to Esdeath and found she started walking back to find her. "Sorry! Koro had to go!" Koro whined as he rubbed his stomach where Seryu was crushing him. Esdeath looked her over before nodding and turning away. Seryu kept a smile on her face as she followed her general.

Celia 'Saisei' Penderghast Papertrailed to Night Raid's compound and hid above the entrance, waiting for them. They walked in a few minutes later, arguing about what to do next, Akame being the most vocal. "We need to go get him!"

"We can't," said Leone. "Trying to get into the Palace is suicide, and you know it!"

"I agree with Leone," said Mine. "It's Delsin's own fault he's in this mess. Let him dig his way out."

"We're not about to lose another one of our own," said Tatsumi.

"My, my," said Celia. Everyone tensed and turned towards where she was she as she dropped to the ground. "So much turmoil over something so trivial. I have a message from your friend, Seryu. She says don't make any moves on the Palace. She'll handle it. Esdeath is too strong for any of you to handle. She says she'll get Delsin out of whatever situation he's found himself in. Says she won't let her… have him."

"Delsin started dating Seryu and myself," said Akame. "I think Esdeath's made her angry."

"And I think you've made her angry," said Tatsumi. Akame turned to Celia and ducked under a Paper Blade. Celia shot a Paper Spear at her, a manic look in her eyes.

"Delsin is mine!" She tried stabbing Akame with another Paper Blade and found her arm twisted behind her back by Tatsumi in Incursio's armor. She kicked behind her and blocked Murasame as Akame attacked her. Celia kicked her away and sent paper doves into the air around her, blocking the two assassins off from the rest of Night Raid. "I won't let you have him!"

"Celia stop this, I don't want to kill you!"

"Too bad for you I don't feel the same!" Akame blocked a volley of attacks from Celia, who moved manically and crazed, her mind focused on one thing. Kill Akame, then track down Seryu and kill her. She was the only one for Delsin! She slammed Murasame out of Akame's hands and went to stab her when she found her arms restrained to her sides. She looked behind her and saw Tatsumi holding her down, hundreds of cuts littering Incursio from her wall of doves.

"Calm down," said Tatsumi. "From what Delsin told us, Hank wouldn't have wanted you to be this way."

"How do you know what Hank would've wanted?!"

"He was here," said Akame. "He brought gifts for Delsin and news about how getting you two back home is going. He also told Delsin to look out for you before…" Lubbock shook his head, stopping her from saying anything.

"Before what?!"

"Before he encountered the Beast," said Sayo. Celia went wide-eyed. Flashes of a 30 ft tall monster ravaging a city, her adoptive family crushed under rubble as they all tried to avoid falling debris, people falling ill to the Plague all around her while she remained healthy with only her powers helping her. Meeting Brooke, following her through dangerous terrain to get to the safety of her unit. Having guns aimed at her and ready to fight back, only Brooke to cover her in concrete. Meeting Hank, befriending him before being locked in isolation for years while Brooke trained her powers. Her atrocities. Every single act she committed for Augustine before betraying her herself. But her mind kept drawing back to the Beast, her fear and anger before her mind pictured something else. Hank facing the Beast, using his smoke powers to try and harm it, only to be swatted away like a gnat and into a building before the Beast destroyed it, collapsing it on top of him like her parents.

Celia screamed. Her doves started moving erratically, cutting anything they came into contact with. Celia gripped her head as the doves dropped. She removed her mask and the assassins of Night Raid saw she was crying. Fear, anger, shame, regret and sadness all somehow showing on her face all at once. Akame went to the girl and hugged her, trying to calm her down. Celia Penderghast sobbed. Ashamed of what she'd done, afraid about the fate of her friend. Afraid of the being that potentially hurt or even killed him. Celia continued to cry, letting the floodgates go until there was nothing left. After what felt like an hour, Celia fell asleep. Akame picked her up and carried her to a spare room before letting her rest.

**(Imperial Palace)**

Delsin woke up with a groan and sat up in a bed that definitely wasn't his in the compound or in Seryu's house. He looked around and spotted regal looking decorations on the walls. "What the hell happened?" He reached for the back on his neck and felt the collar. "What the…?" He went to a mirror and saw a spiked collar on his neck. "Ok… Reggie was right. I'd never pull of the biker look." He tried to take off the collar when he felt something press against his back. He turned around and spotted Esdeath smiling at him. He backed away instinctively, feeling uneasy. "Uh… hello again…"

"Good to see you're awake, Mr. Simms. Follow me."

"Uh… ok. Where are we going?"

"To the Jaegers' first mission. We'll be observing from a distance." _'The Jaegers? Dammit. Seryu, be careful.'_ Delsin followed her to a carriage and spotted another one further ahead. He noticed she was dragging him by a chain and internally groaned. _'Ok, me and Karma, not on good terms!'_ She brought him to a cliff overlooking a walled off compound a few miles outside the Capital. They'd ridden in the carriages so long; it was already night. He watched as the Jaegers stood just outside the giant gate.

"Is this the bandit fort we've been looking for," asked Wave.

"Uh huh! Our first mission as Jaegers," said Doctor Stylish. "Is tearing this unsightly place apart!"

"How do we go about it," asked Run. Seryu glanced around, uneasily. Ever since Delsin trusted her to be his partner, she'd sworn off killing. Now she found herself in a situation where she either kills, or have her cover blown by the Jaegers. She internally sighed and called up her old behavior and mindset, no matter how much the she was disgusted by it.

"Justice should always be direct," she said with a dangerous smile. "Strike from the front!"

Delsin glanced at Esdeath who chose to sat uncomfortably close to him overlooking the bandit fort. She seemed entirely at peace. "Why exactly am I here," he asked her.

"You're part of the Jaeger reserves," was her reply. "I suggest you watch and learn for future reference." Delsin spotted Seryu and the other Jaegers climbing the stairs to the fort. Even from this distance, Delsin could tell she was feeling uneasy. Ever since he'd redeemed her, she'd expressed how her old mindset disgusted her. How she never wanted to experience that part of her ever again. Delsin swallowed silently, suddenly nervous. _'Seryu, please be careful.'_ He glanced once more at Esdeath and contemplated trying to run away and get to Seryu when Esdeath grabbed his hand. He heard Seryu shout and Koro growl and knew the fighting had started.

Seryu cringed internally as she ordered Koro to devour whoever was in their way. Koro could feel her discomfort but did as she said, knowing there wasn't any other choice. As she fought a few bandits, she kept track of the others' Imperial Arms. _'Rubicante, Perfector, Grand Chariot, Yatsufusa, Mastema. Watch them, see their strengths, guess their weaknesses. If Night Raid ever has to face these guys, they need to be prepared.'_

After a couple of hours, Delsin stood in front of the blazing inferno that was once the bandit fortress. "Whoa…" Delsin had seen destruction before, but nothing like this.

"Eugene," said Esdeath. Delsin turned around to face her as she sat on a rock. "Soon you'll be able to do that too. I know you're already a capable fighter. But I'm going to train you. Refine your skills and give you an Imperial Arm of your own."

"Well, that's generous of you."

"I'm not like all the rumors say I am. To be honest, I haven't been feeling quite like myself lately. I've started to experience… love…" Delsin gulped silently. _'Oh, please don't be going where I think you're going with this.'_ "And, it feels good." _'I highly doubt it's love she's feeling. Lust, maybe, but not love. Someone as bloodthirsty as she is can't truly know love. But, that's me typecasting. I need to learn more about her, see if she can be a trusted ally against the Beast when he arrives. We'll need all the help we can get.'_

A few hours later, Delsin found himself sitting in Esdeath's room as she showered. _'Great… she's planning on seducing me! This has to be the single most torturous thing I've ever done. And I went through high school.'_ He tried getting off the bed and making his way to the exit when he heard the shower turn off. _'Oh, come on!'_ Esdeath walked into the bedroom wearing nothing but a revealing white button down shirt. "Where are you going?"

"I was trying to see if I could find a bathroom, considering you were showering, and all."

"Oh, well, I'm done. You can use mine."

"Uh… ok." Delsin moved passed her and into the bathroom and cursed silently. _'Come on. Think, Delsin. Think! You need a way to get out of here and get back to the others. But how?! Wait, she said she was going to give me an Imperial Arm, right? Maybe I should wait this out. Let her show me the vault then get as many available Imperial Arms as I can and bail. Ok, sounds like a plan.'_ He went back into the bedroom after a few minutes and found Esdeath sitting on her bed, waiting for him. She was blushing like mad as she smiled at him. _'Ok, now if only she weren't somehow scarier like this than how she's portrayed in the rumors.'_ Delsin sat next to her. "If you don't mind my asking, why am I here?"

"As I said before, I've recently started exploring the concept of love. I've chosen you to be my lover."

"Yeah, no, I get that. Thing is I already have a girlfriend."

"Don't worry about that. Soon, I'll have her put out of your mind."

"You can't be serious. You can't make someone love you. It takes time. Start as friends, work your up as you develop feelings and they start to grow. You can't force this kind of thing. Trying to will only damage your relationship. And you definitely can't force them to forget someone they love. There'd be nothing but resentment after that." Delsin found himself pushed to the bed and Esdeath climbing on top of him.

"Then I'll do just that. I'll make sure we know each other well enough that when I do get her out of your mind, you won't resent me too much."

"Geez, everything has to go your way, huh?" He Smoke Dashed out from under her and to the door. He looked back at her. "Think over what I said, alright? I'm going to sleep in the Guard Barracks. I know the way." He stopped when she spoke up.

"Just so you know, if you're caught wandering the halls or trying to escape, you'll be executed on site."

"Then it's a good thing I know my way around." Delsin was halfway to the barracks when he heard someone call out.

"Intruder, halt!" Delsin paused and turned to the guard with his hands level with his head.

"At ease, guys. I'm a guest of General Esdeath and was about to see if General Budo would allow me to sleep in the barracks."

"No civilians allowed in the Palace after hours. Leave now or be executed where you stand!"

"Now guys, don't start what you can't finish." He emitted smoke from his arms as the guards readied their pikes. "So, who's unlucky customer number one?"

"Men," shouted a loud authoritative voice nearby. Delsin looked down a hall and spotted Budo walking towards them. "What are you doing?!"

"Apprehending this intruder, General!"

"What intruder? All I see is a valuable ally to the Imperial Guard!" For emphasis, he sparked up Adramelech, intimidating the guards in front of Delsin. They saluted before he sent them on their way.

"That's right," said Delsin as he waved them off. "Keep on walking! Thanks for the help, General."

"Mr. Simms. What are you doing here?"

"No doubt you've heard Esdeath dragged me here from that tournament she held. Well apparently she wants me to join that group of hers and to, get this, make me her lover."

"…That is unusual."

"Right?! Anyways, I'm trying to let her down easy and was looking for you to see if I could stay in the barracks, seeing as she most likely ordered the gate guards to kill me if I tried leaving."

"Given the circumstances, I think it would be acceptable."

"Thanks, general. Now I just need to figure out how to let her down without trying to kill me."

"You could always get Seryu to tell her you're dating. Esdeath may be ruthless, but she's reasonable when it comes to her subordinates."

"Yeah, maybe that will work… Wait…" He turned to Budo and saw the ghost of a smirk of victory on his face.

"Get some rest, Simms."

"You're a sneaky man, General." Delsin shook his head as he heard the normally stoic general chuckle before making his way to the barracks. There he spotted Ayumi removing her gauntlets. "Hey, Ayumi."

"Oh, Eugene! What are you doing here?"

"Staying the night while I'm Esdeath's unwilling guest."

"Oh, right. I forgot she dragged you off after the tournament. Why was that, anyways?"

"She's apparently fallen for me and is trying to get me to do the same for her. I'm not about to sleep with crazy, so…"

"You shouldn't call her crazy! the walls have ears…"

"Hey, I call 'em as I see 'em." Delsin turned to her and sighed. "By the way, Eugene is just an alias I've been using while in the country. I made a lot of enemies back home, was trying to make sure none found me here. The name's Delsin. Delsin Rowe. Seryu is already aware of my real name."

"Why wait so long to tell anyone?"

"Saisei. When I got here, I didn't know if anyone from home was here as well. If they were an enemy, an inconspicuous name works better than my own. If they're an ally, they know who to look for and who influenced my choice in names."

"You must've lived an interesting life."

"You could say that." Delsin pulled off his jacket and wrapped it up as one of his gas grenades fell out of his pocket. "Dammit…" He reached for it when Ayumi picked it up.

"Neon? What's that?"

"Special power I've been saving. I don't have it on hand, that's the next best thing." He took the grenade back and stuffed it into its pocket again. He set his jacket next to him and laid down. "See ya in the morning, Ayumi."

"Good night, Delsin." As Delsin slept, dreams of the Beast of Empire City plagued his dreams. He watched as first Fetch was crushed under its feet. Then Eugene swatted out of the sky. Akame and Seryu tried attacking only to be crushed to death. Delsin roared in anger and fired off Cinder Rocket after Cinder Rocket at the Beast. He flew up to the Beast and used an Orbital Drop to try and kill him with his darkened smoke due to his anger, only to be caught by the Beast and crushed. Delsin screamed in pain as the Beast crushed him, black markings appearing on the Beast's arm and flowing down to his body.

"**And now you die, like all of your friends, Delsin Rowe."** Delsin screamed and woke up, finding the barracks in disarray as his smoke had destroyed everything around him. Several of the guards were standing in defensive postures, weapons aimed at him. He felt arms around him and looked down, seeing Seryu hugging him.

"Delsin… you're safe… I'm safe…" Delsin wrapped an arm around her and calmed his breathing.

"Mr. Simms," asked General Budo as he walked into the room. He looked around at the damage before turning to him. "Is everything alright?"

"Just a nightmare, general… that's all…"

"Both of you report to the medic, now. And someone clean up this mess!" Delsin looked around and saw Ayumi clutching her arm, smoke coming off of a fresh wound.

"Ah, crap… Ayumi, I'm so sorry. Here…" He reached for the wound and she winced away from him slightly. Delsin persisted and used his smoke heal to help her. Seryu helped him up and led him to the medic, Budo not far behind. Delsin spotted Murasame's markings starting to creep on his hand and cursed silently, trying to find a torch. He was lucky to have one right outside the medic's office and absorbed the smoke before releasing a sigh of relief. He turned to the medic and saw them speaking with Budo. He turned to Seryu.

"Hopefully we can get that thing out of your head. If it's what I think it is, we may have dodged a massive bullet."

"What do you…?"

"Alright, Sergeant Ubiquitous," said the medic. "Let's put you under and see if what Mr. Simms claims is true."

"We're keeping this out of Stylish's knowledge, right," asked Delsin.

"We'll try," said Budo. "But somehow that man knows everything going on in the palace, especially when it comes to criminals who aren't high profile." He stood between Delsin and the exit to the room. "Now, care to tell me what exactly happened? I know people react differently to PTSD. And what I just saw was a clear case. We've had a few guards experience it after seeing one too many bad things. So, what's on your mind?"

"It's… personal, General. I'd rather not speak of it… for now, at least. Maybe when I know I can get a handle on this, I will but for now, I need to deal with this alone." Budo stared him down before nodding.

"By the way, General Esdeath summoned you. Wants you to meet her in the Imperial Vault as soon as possible."

"Would you give me directions? I've kept my Palace wanderings to familiar territory for a reason."

"I'll have some guards escort you. You'll forgive them if they seem mistrusting of you right now."

"Hey, I get it. I wouldn't exactly like the guy who went on a night terror rampage either." Delsin was halfway out the door when Budo stopped him with his next words.

"Good luck obtaining an Imperial Arm, Mr. Rowe." Delsin turned around and saw Budo's back to him as he observed the medic. "Corporal Ayumi notified me of your real name just before your incident."

"Right, shoulda figured she would." Delsin left the room and two guardsmen ready to escort him, one of them shaking with nervous energy. The entire walk to the Vault was spent in silence. He found the blonde guy, Run, waiting for him there.

"There you are," said Run. He turned to the guardsmen. "You two may return to your duties." They nodded and left and Delsin turned to Run.

"So, where's your… was a nice way of saying abductor?"

"General Esdeath is down in the Vault. I've been instructed to lead you down. Please follow me." Delsin followed him through a secret doorway and down a large flight of stairs.

"Geez, the First Emperor liked his exercise, huh?"

"Actually the Vault was constructed by the Third Emperor, who deemed the Imperial Arms too dangerous for use."

"I take it the Fourth changed that and that's how a lot of them ended up missing, huh?"

"That and power hungry thieves who would've liked nothing more than to obtain more power." They reached the end of the stairs and Delsin saw the masked one, Bols, waiting for them.

"Oh good, he's here!"

"You're surprisingly cheerful," said Delsin.

"Underneath this scary mask, you'll find a decent family man!"

"I don't doubt it, never judge a book by its cover, after all."

"Where's Seryu," asked Run.

"Medic. I think I accidently hurt her after an… episode I had last night. Night terror." Delsin looked at his hand and sighed before they got to the Vault proper.

"Good," said Esdeath. "You're here. Where is Seryu?"

"Medic. My fault. She tried calming me down after a night terror and… I hurt her…"

"She's a strong woman. I'm sure she's fine. Well, I was hoping to make this a special occasion with everyone here but looks like we'll have to make do with everyone that's currently here. Stylish is in his lab working on a project. Now then, Eugene. Let's see if you're compatible with an Imperial Arm." She led Delsin into the Vault where Kurome and Wave were arranging the few Imperial Arms still without a user. Delsin looked at each weapon and picked up a pair of gauntlets. They were colored black with green designs spiraling around them and two slots jutting from the top of each gauntlet, emitting a strange glow.

"What's this?"

"Thousand Elements Gaea," said Kurome as she munched on her cookies. "Probably the most useless of the Imperial Arms. All it does is manifest one of the natural elements of the world. No one's figured out how they'd be useful."

"Well, no one was like me…" He put the gauntlets on and felt them reach out as they expanded up his arms and down to his palms, leaving a small opening in them. _'It's like they were made for a Conduit…'_ "Ok, let's see… It can create any natural element, right?"

"That's what the old records say, at least," said Wave. Delsin looked at the gauntlets and felt like they were reading him.

"Hmm… Smoke?" Gaea started emitting smoke from the slots and Delsin grinned before having it fill the room. As everyone, save for Bols, started coughing, Delsin absorbed the smoke and grinned as he looked at his new toys. "Let's try… this!" Delsin covered his arms with smoke and the gauntlets were instantly covered just like his chain and shield. He punched at the stone wall beside him and watched the impact create a cloud of smoke. "Oh, hell yeah!" He chuckled as he started up his Thrusters and rose off the ground. "Man! This feels awesome! It's like the gauntlets were tailor made for me!"

"That's the Imperial Arm adapting to your biology," said Wave. "My Imperial Arm, Grand Chariot, felt the same way for me." Delsin grinned and landed on the ground before crossing his arms.

"Oh, I'm going to have all sorts of fun with these."

"Good," said Esdeath. "Because it's time for the Jaegers to go on their next mission!"

* * *

**(Revolutionary Army Outpost)**

A girl with red hair disguised herself as a corpse as she watched her comrades get cut down. She whimpered slightly as their attacker started advancing on her position, only to stop short and be lifted into the air, struggling to breathe. Peeking out from her hiding spot, she spotted a man covered in metal chocking the assassin before snapping his neck. "Any survivors?!" called the man. She hesitated before coming from hiding and showing herself. The metal man went to her and took her hand. "Come on, we've gotta get moving! I doubt that guy was alone!" They made their way out of the outpost and heard the sounds of rifle fire. The metal man stood between her and their shooter and blocked the bullets. "Get going! I'll be right behind you!" He aimed his hand behind him and shot out several shards of shrapnel at the shooter, hitting the man in the head, killing him as they ran. They got behind a large boulder and stopped to catch their breath. "Got any place to go?"

"R-revolutionary Army Headquarters. It's about a days walk south of here."

"Then lead the way, ma'am."

* * *

**(Alternate Earth 4)**

A rift opened in the clock tower of New Marais; a signal being broadcasted to the citizens below. A few minutes later, a man with a blue shirt, jeans and what seemed to be an oversized tuning fork on his back. "Ok, the signal was coming from here. Now what am I looking… oh a giant whole in the air, that's a new one."

"Things are only about to get stranger, Cole," said Kessler from the rift.

"Kessler?! No, no, no. You're dead!"

"Consider me an echo of the man you knew as Kessler. I've come to ask for your help, Cole."

"Why the hell should I help you?!"

"Because if you don't, then the Beast, _my_ Beast, will find his way to your world and do the same thing he did to mine. You have a new life here, Cole. A loving wife and a child on the way. Are you going to make the same mistake I did all those years ago?" Cole thought for a second before turning to the rift.

"Will I be able to get back?"

"I promise you will."

"…Alright then. What do I need to do?"

"Simply step into the rift, Cole." Cole MacGrath looked behind him, taking in the skyline of New Marais before stepping into the rift. Soon enough, Cole was once again face to face with the man who ruined his life. An alternate version of himself from a ruined future. Cole 'Kessler' MacGrath.

"Alright, Kessler. No games, no bullshit."

"You have my word, Cole."

"Like your word means anything. Where am I going?"

"Another world where the final fight against the Beast will take place. One with impossible monsters, powerful individuals and equally powerful weapons. A man by the name of Delsin Rowe, a Conduit, is already there and needs all the help he can get to prepare for the Beast."

"Please don't tell me it's just the two of us. I could barely handle John by myself."

"You'll have help. For now, get ready for a fall."

"A fall?"

"To make sure no one accidentally wanders into the rifts, I've used what little control I have over them to make the rifts open high above the ground, approximately a mile up."

"At least I don't have to worry about damage."

"Just stay vigilant. The monsters of this world have powers to rival a Conduit's."

"Good to know." Kessler sent Cole through and turned to Delsin's Earth.

"One more should do it… I just hope it's enough…"


	10. Kill The Stylish Army

Delsin and Wave were traveling along a mountain pass, hunting for Danger Beasts when Wave turned to him. "So, you and Esdeath?"

"No, Wave. She likes to think that's how it is, but it's not. I've got a girlfriend, but she doesn't want to listen."

"Who is she?"

"Can we not talk about this right now? We've got more pressing matters to deal with." He turned to Wave and shot smoke passed his head. Wave turned around and spotted a living tree Danger Beast recoil from the smoke.

"Looks like Smoke won't do too much. Got anything else in your bag of tricks?"

"Yeah. Just don't know if Gaea can create it."

"Try." More trees erupted from the ground, surrounding them. "Because I can't hold all of them off by myself."

"Give me a second!" Delsin looked at Gaea and concentrated. _'Come on! Give me something I can work with! Paper! Neon! Hell, I'll settle for Concrete!'_ In response, Gaea emitted substances from both gauntlets. Delsin watched as they combined together to create a new substance, one Delsin was all too familiar with. He grinned and absorbed the Concrete emitted by Gaea. "One side!" Wave turned around and saw Delsin charging at him, covered in what looked to him like stone armor. Wave dove to the side as Delsin barreled passed him and into one of the Danger Beasts. The armor fell apart as Delsin swung his concrete covered chain and bisected one of the trees. Wave grinned before slicing a branch trying to grab him.

Delsin shot a burst of concrete passed Wave, shredding another tree as Wave activated Grand Chariot's armor to increase his strength and speed. He flew passed Delsin and sliced a tree in half at the trunk before Delsin shot a row of concrete slabs, taking out three of the Danger Beasts at once leaving one left. Delsin Concrete Dashed towards it and slammed into it before punching it with a Concrete covered fist, punching a hole right through the tree. Delsin grinned as it collapsed and turned to Wave as he deactivated Grand Chariot. "That's a useful ability," said Wave.

"It's Concrete. Heavy hitting is its specialty. That's the first time I've used the chain with it, though. Wasn't expecting that result." Delsin pointed to the bisected tree. Wave turned to him.

"Why haven't you used it before?"

"Because I didn't want the guard to hunt me down for destruction of property. Plus, I can't hold back with this power. I can't even restrain people with it, or at least I haven't figured out how. It's more destructive than my other powers and requires me to absorb concrete shrapnel which would mean needing to crack some pavement. Not worth the time or hassle to use in the Capital."

"Yeah, I guess I can see your point. Come on, we should report back to Esdeath."

"Oh great, back to the slave master…" Delsin groaned as he followed Wave back to the camp. Upon arrival, they noticed the only one present was Kurome eating her cookies once more the head of a Danger Beast beside her. "What the hell's up with those cookies, anyway? It can't be healthy eating them all the time."

"Mind your own business," said Kurome. Delsin shook his head before grinning and shooting a cookie out of her hand with a single shot of concrete. "Hey!"

"You need to learn some manners, young lady. It's impolite to talk to someone as you're eating."

"Now, now," said Bols as he walked in and felt the tension in the room. "There's no need to argue. We're all allies here."

"You're right, Bols. So why don't I make the first hole in burying the hatchet." Delsin walked over to her and held out his hand. "Truce."

"You're not getting a cookie." She shook his hand.

"I don't want one. They smell too much like… medicine… hey, what's in those?"

"Why?"

"Leave her alone," said Wave. "If she doesn't want to tell you, then let her be."

"If those things are filled with medicine to try and keep her healthy, maybe my powers can help. I've gotten pretty good at healing internal injuries and diseases. I can help her."

"Why would you help me?"

"Because its what I do. My brother taught me that it's the job of those with power to defend the weak, that extends to those with strength who are sick as well."

"Your brother is a fool," said Esdeath as she walked into the tent they were occupying. "Those with strength prey on the weak. That's the way the world…" Esdeath didn't get to finish her words as she felt a slab of concrete slam into her and knock her off her feet. She looked up and saw Delsin's eyes glaring at her.

"Don't you ever call Reggie a fool… He was a good man! It's because of him that I am the way I am now!" He grabbed her shirt and lifted her up as Run and Stylish entered the tent and the rest of the Jaegers watched the events unfold, stunned. "Insult my brother again and see what happens. My brother gave his life to save me so I could save our village from a mad woman. He was the strongest man I knew! I don't want to hear you insult him again!" Delsin saw his hands starting to freeze as Esdeath tried using her Imperial Arm's abilities to show dominance. Delsin just absorbed the ice and threw Esdeath away. He raised a wall of ice between them and glared at her through the transparent obstruction. "Consider this my informal resignation to my informal position in the Jaegers. I'm going back to the Capital. I need to check on Seryu." As he left the tent, Dr. Stylish noticed a sheet of blue paper protruding from Delsin's jacket. _'So that's where it went…' _thought the mad scientist as he hid a glare.

Delsin looked at his hands as they gave off a vapor and thought for a second. _'Ok, how the hell should this work? I've never used this power before now, so I'm not sure how exactly it would work. Thrusters should be the same, so should the basic Shots, but other than that…'_ Thinking back, Delsin recalled seeing footage of Cole MacGrath launching himself into the air with a pillar of ice. "Ok, now how do I do that?" Delsin held his hands out to the side and tried to create ice beneath his feet. Soon enough, he felt himself lifted up off the ground. "Whoa, whoa!" He landed on the tip of the pillar and stayed on with practiced balance. "Ok. That's how that works… I should get some more practice with this before I try anything crazy. First things first…" Delsin examined Gaea and thought 'ice' and watched as water came from one gauntlet and a blast of cold air came from the second, instantly freezing the water to make ice. "Where have you been all my life?!" Delsin grinned as he absorbed the ice and topped himself off. "Ok, time for some target practice…" Delsin heard growling and turned to find a sabre toothed tiger-like Danger Beast standing in front of him. "Ask and ye shall receive, I guess." Delsin frosted up and grinned at the Danger Beast. "Here, kitty, kitty. Time for your dental checkup." The Danger Beast charged at him and Delsin dodged to the side, freezing the ground beneath him and making a wall in front of the beast, making it skid into the ice wall.

Delsin aimed and fired Ice Shots at the giant feline. Two pierced its side and made it yowl in pain before it turned to him and roared; charging with its mouth opened wide. It tried biting down on Delsin only to be met with frozen metal as Delsin blocked with Gaea. Delsin froze the Danger Beast's teeth and shattered them as he pulled his arm out. "Ooh, looks like you chipped a tooth! Nothing a little surgery can't fix!" Delsin brought out his chain and swung it at the feline, causing an instant freeze effect on its body. Delsin felt his chain crack and cursed before putting it away. He was distracted long enough for the Danger Beast to swipe at him with its claws. Delsin Dashed backwards on instinct and felt his body change much like it would with his Smoke power. He looked down and spotted his body return to normal from an icy mist. "That's familiar, at least. Whoa!" He ducked under the Danger Beast as it leapt at him. He reached for his tonfas, only to remember he returned them to the Armory back in the Palace and cursed.

He raised his fists, ready to start punching at it when it got close, only to see a katana embed itself in its head. The katana glowed with dark energy and the Danger Beast rose up before disappearing, leaving the katana behind. Delsin watched as Kurome walked over and retrieved her weapon. "You're welcome," said the young assassin.

"I had that handled. Now I gotta find a new target. Thanks a lot." Delsin sighed and pulled out his chain again to check where he heard the crack from. He found a broken link halfway down from where he normally held the chain and sighed. "Dammit…" Kurome looked at the chain.

"Not much of a weapon."

"Well it was mine and I've had it since I first got my powers. And used with my powers, it was more effective than a sword, especially given how I fight."

"Non-lethal, right?" Delsin looked at her with a quirked eyebrow. "After Dark Squad fought you, I read up on you from Guard reports where you were mentioned. Eugene Simms fights with an improvised style that makes pinning him down next to impossible. I'll need to add ice abilities to your file back in the Capital."

"Oh, great. You've been doing your homework on how to better kill me. I should be flattered, but that kind of behavior seems a bit stalkery."

"I'll add deflecting humor as well."

"And that's my cue to change the subject. Why did you come after me?"

"General Esdeath ordered me to try and convince you to come back so we could return to the Capital together."

"If she's going to apologize she can do it to my face. If she's going to continue acting the way she does, I'm not going back."

"Whether you do or don't isn't my concern. What is, is what Esdeath will do if I don't bring you back."

"And that's my problem, because…?"

"If my life becomes miserable, then so does yours. Because I'm not about to let you off easy if she decides to torture me for failing to get you back to camp." Delsin sighed.

"Alright, alright. I'll go, but don't expect me to be civil with her unless she apologizes for insulting my brother."

"None of my business if she does or not." The two started back for camp. Kurome glanced at him as they walked.

"What is it?"

"Were you close?"

"To who?"

"Your brother."

"I mean, yeah. Not all the time, hell, most of the time he locked me up in jail for a night to teach me a lesson whenever I acted up. But we were closer at the end there. Our tribe had been attacked we went after the bitch who hurt them. It was fun, working with Reggie. Right until the end. It was me and him against an army with two friends I made along the way. Even when I was faced with difficult choices, he always made sure I made the right ones. He looked after our parents died, especially when I got my powers. That's the thing about older siblings, they always try and do right by their younger brothers and sisters, even if it doesn't seem like it at the time."

"…I have an older sibling…"

"That Akame girl from Night Raid, right?" Now Kurome looked at him with surprise. "If you read my reports, you'd know I fought against Zanku. And that I fought alongside your sister. You two bare a striking resemblance, you know that?"

"Well, we are sisters, after all."

"True. But still… Hey, if you don't mind my asking, what happened between you and your sister?"

"She betrayed the Empire. And tried to get me to do the same. They gave us a home, a purpose. I wasn't about to betray that. I didn't have a choice…"

"Those cookies, right?"

"How did you…?"

"I told you, they smelled like medicine. My brother force fed me some enough when I was a kid for me to recognize the smell. I've also fought enough gangs who use mind altering drugs to notice the effects it has on someone as young as you. My offer still stands. I can try and purge you of whatever they've done to you, but it'll take a few attempts and some drug withdrawal."

"…I'll think about it…"

"Take all the time you need." They made it back to the camp and found everyone already packing up. Delsin felt someone watching him and idly noticed Stylish keeping his eyes on him. _'That can't be good…'_ He helped Wave and Bols with a tent as Esdeath walked over to him.

"Eugene," she said sternly.

"Unless you're going to apologize for insulting my brother, I've got nothing to say to you." Delsin refused to turn around to acknowledge her as he helped load a wagon. When she tried freezing him in place to force him to listen, Delsin simply absorbed the ice before rounding on her. "That's enough! You don't always get everything you want! I'm not about to be your pet! Or your lover! Get that through your goddamned head and leave me alone!" Delsin climbed into the wagon as the temperature around the Jaegers dropped significantly. Whether it was from Delsin or Esdeath, none of them could tell, all they knew was that trying to speak with either of them would be a bad idea.

* * *

Two days later, the Jaegers found themselves back on the Palace grounds and Delsin immediately made his way to the infirmary. Seryu smiled as she saw him enter. "Welcome back."

"Hey," said Delsin as he sat next to her and took her hand. "How are you feeling?"

"It's gone. They removed it and are going to try and dispose of it once Stylish is out of the palace grounds."

"That's good to hear." Delsin leaned in and kissed her. She returned the kiss with a smile. They broke apart when they heard someone clear their throat. Delsin turned to the entrance and spotted Esdeath. Wave, Bols and Kurome in the doorway.

"I'm sorry, Seryu," said Esdeath. "I should've known that you were the girlfriend he spoke of."

"Does this mean you're going to stop trying to control me," asked Delsin.

"For now. I'm not about to get in the way of my subordinate's happiness, but that doesn't mean I'm willing to give up, either."

"With all due respect, ma'am," said Seryu. "I'd appreciate it if you did. I… I love Delsin. And I'm not about to let you take him from me." Esdeath said nothing. She simply nodded and left the infirmary.

"…Glad to see you're recovering, Seryu," said Kurome. "What happened, exactly?"

"It…"

"Was my fault," said Delsin, looking guilty. "I had a night terror the other day and she got hurt trying to calm me down and wake me up…" Seryu pat the back of his hand lightly and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Hope you get well soon," said Wave.

"I'll bring you my wife's home cooking," said Bols. "I know that always makes me feel better whenever I'm sick."

"Thank you, Bols," said Seryu with a smile. Kurome said nothing, she merely sat by the doorway eating her cookies and waved to Seryu.

"Kurome," exclaimed Wave. "That's not proper bedside manor!"

"I'm not by her bed."

"That's not what I mean, and you know it!" Delsin and Seryu chuckled as the two argued.

"Get a room, you two," said Delsin. He turned to Seryu and kissed her, using Frost Heal discretely "And you, get well soon. I need to check up with Sayo at the shop and Budo and the Guard."

"You just missed him," said Seryu. "He was here not that long ago wishing me a speedy recovery. He should be training the new recruits right now."

"Thank you." He gave her one last kiss and made for the door. "Get some rest."

"You got it." Delsin made his way to the Barracks and found Budo going over reports from the nighttime patrols.

"Hey, General."

"Mr. Rowe," said Budo without looking up. "I trust the Jaeger's hunting party was a success?"

"More or less. Came to see if the guards reported anything that requires a more maneuverable touch."

"Nothing has come up, actually. It was a quiet, not even a fight at one of the taverns."

"That's odd."

"But welcome. It means my men are doing a better job just to try and show you up."

"Hey, I welcome the competition." Budo looked at his arms.

"I see you've managed to obtain an Imperial Arm."

"Yeah, Thousand Elements: Gaea."

"Given your unique abilities, I'd say it fits. There's nothing for you right now, Delsin. Go home, get some rest. After being in Esdeath's presence for so long, I'd say you earned that."

"Thanks, General. Hey, have you seen Ayumi?"

"She's on patrol in the Market District. If you're heading to that shop you work at, you should be able to find her."

"Alright, thanks General." Budo nodded and Delsin left the room. Delsin felt someone following him and cursed in his head, pretending externally that he hadn't noticed them. Delsin made his way to the Market District, all the while making sure his shadow was close enough for him to keep track of and try to identify. He was almost at the book shop when he encountered Ayumi's patrol. "Hey, Ayumi."

"Oh," exclaimed Ayumi. "Del-Eugene. You're back!"

"Yeah. How are you?"

"I'm fine."

"Again, I'm so sorry about what happened."

"It's fine. I understand that you weren't awake at the time. What was the nightmare about?"

"It's… personal. Not something I can speak about with anyone."

"Just know I'm here for you. We all are."

"I know that. But what I'm going through, it's not something I don't think anyone can understand." Discretely, Delsin gave a gesture he taught Ayumi and some of the guards he worked with in case they were being followed. Ayumi blinked twice and rubbed at her eye after a wind blew in her face, making it seem like she got something in her eye but actually giving the confirmation signal. "Hey, have you seen Sayo?"

"She's at the shop. It's been quiet since you left with Esdeath."

"Budo said the same thing. This can't be good. Normally we have at least a mugging. But absolutely quiet. That's unheard of. Even if your brothers in arms are getting better at apprehending criminals, I'd have seen a few people being brought to the dungeons as I left the Palace. Oh, speaking of which, I've got an Imperial Arm now."

"Those gauntlets, right?"

"Yeah, Thousand Elements: Gaea. And I got a new trick. Want to see it?"

"Sure thing." Delsin grinned before turning 180 degrees and throwing a ball of snow. It exploded on the ground and trapped the legs of the man following him. Ayumi charged forward and slammed the butt of her rifle into his gut before slamming the weapon down on his head, knocking him out. "When did you get ice powers?!"

"Just a few hours ago." Delsin checked the man as Ayumi's partner reached for restraints. "Hey, Ayumi. Does this guy look familiar to you?" Ayumi checked the man.

"I think so… I can't place him though. Private Josuke?" Her partner approached the man and examined him.

"Whoa. I thought he was executed."

"You know him?"

"You both know him as well. That's the gang leader Eugene took out during the Warehouse Raid." Delsin looked closer at him.

"I see it now… look at his face. It looks like it's been worked on to change his appearance slightly."

"This man should've been executed months ago," said Ayumi. "How is he here?"

"Bring him back to Budo. I think he'll want to understand this as much as us."

"On it. Come on, Josuke."

"Yes ma'am," said Josuke.

"Eugene, a word in private while Josuke secures the suspect?" Delsin nodded and stepped out of earshot from the Private. "You said he was following you?"

"Yeah, since the Palace. But how he would've gotten in is beyond me. Be sure to tell Budo about that, please."

"You got it, Delsin."

"And tell him to check the dungeons. I think our lack of criminal activity is related to this man still being alive."

"I'll tell him. Be safe, Delsin."

"You too, Ayumi. And check on Seryu for me, please? I don't know if someone is watching her as well."

"Got it." Ayumi left with Josuke for the Palace and Delsin made his way to the shop where he spotted Sayo and Lubbock. He noticed Sayo playing with her hair as she spoke with him and grinned.

"Hey guys." Sayo and Lubbock jumped, obviously lost in their conversation.

"Oh, it's you," said Lubbock. "We thought you were trapped by Esdeath."

"Ah, she can try and trap me, it won't work though."

"Did she really want to make you her lover?"

"Yeah, but I made it clear I was not interested. I even used the opportunity to test out my last power." Delsin's gauntlets emitted ice cold vapor and he grinned as Sayo shivered. Lubbock wrapped his jacket around her instantly as Delsin created a Snowbomb in his hand.

"So, you've ice powers now."

"And an Imperial Arm." He showed them the gauntlets. "Thousand Element: Gaea." He grinned as they examined the gauntlets. "Personally, I think they need a color change."

"Only you would be that petty," said Sayo.

"I am not petty. Hey, have you heard anything about why it's been so quiet, criminal wise?"

"None."

"It's odd," said Lubbock. "We should keep an eye out. But for now, we should head back to the compound. Najenda should be back soon."

"Alright," said Delsin. "Let's lock up and head out." The three members of Night Raid left the shop and the Capital, unaware of someone else following them. Within a couple of hours, they found themselves at the Night Raid compound. Sayo stretched as they walked in.

"I need a soak in the hot springs. Seryu's home is comfy, but nothing beats natural heat."

"I'll keep an eye out for Najenda," said Lubbock as Delsin turned to Sayo.

"So," said the Mimic Conduit. "You and Lubbock?" Sayo blushed a bright red and hid her face behind her bangs.

"Sh-shut up…" Delsin chuckled.

"Hey," said Tatsumi. "You're back!"

"Hey dude," said Delsin. "How's the training coming along?"

"Fine. Especially with Celia helping me."

"Wait, Celia's here?"

"It's a long story," said Sayo.

"Well it's been a long week. I've got time to listen."

"You can wait a bit longer to hear from me, or you can hear from someone else. I'm going to the springs."

"Good luck," he called after her as she walked away. "Try not to overheat when thinking of your Moss Head."

"Go to hell, Delsin!"

"I tried! The devil sent me back!" Delsin grinned and made his way to the kitchen as Tatsumi went to the courtyard. He found Mine there, snacking on a piece of cake. "Strawberry Shortcake! How're things."

"Don't call me that," said Mine.

"Wear something other than pink and I will. Where's Akame?"

"Hunting for something for dinner. She took Leone with her."

"And what's this I hear about Celia helping train Tatsumi?"

"When Esdeath took you, Akame told her that you started dating her and Seryu as well as that Fetch girl you always tell us about. She went berserk and started attacking her. We managed to stop her by mentioning Hank. Tatsumi actually did it. Then Akame and Sayo told her what happened with him and this Beast thing you mentioned. She freaked. I think from repressed memories coming to the surface at the mention of Hank. She passed out and came to a day later. She stayed closed off until about three days ago when she saw Tatsumi trying to do that climbing thing you do. She's been giving him and me tips on how to properly do it."

"Better than I've been doing?"

"You're a dick who'd rather watch us fail than tell us what to do."

"I have told you what to do. Strength training and practice."

"You left out speed, momentum, patience and pacing," said Celia as she walked into the kitchen. Delsin turned to her and saw she was no longer in her schoolgirl outfit, choosing instead to wear comfortable garments a noble would wear when out walking.

"Do I want to know where you got that?"

"Abandoned mansion I was staying in. Apparently the former occupants were killed a few months ago. Three people. Man, woman and their daughter."

"Short blonde hair, blue eyes, blue ribbon in the hair?"

"You know her?"

"Aria Braun. Her and her parents were one of the first people I met here. They were monsters. They tortured Sayo and her and Tatsumi's childhood friend and planned to do the same to me and Tatsumi. Night Raid killed her parents, I killed her…"

"Didn't think you had it in you, Rowe."

"I don't. I felt awful afterwards. But at the time, it was the only thing I could think of. She tortured and killed so many people I… I just snapped."

"Because you're not a killer. The only times you ever killed was in self defense back in Seattle and here as well, I'm guessing. You don't have the mindset or stomach for this. You weren't brought up to be numb to it like me."

"Augustine was a bitch for what she did," said Mine. "If I ever meet her…"

"You'll do nothing. She may have turned me into a killer, but I still see her as my mother. That's why I stayed loyal for as long as I did." She turned to Mine. "Thank you for the sentiment, though."

"Never seen this side of you," said Delsin. "Either of you."

"Eat a dick, Rowe," said Mine.

"And that's closer to what I'm used to." Delsin made for the exit. "You two have fun pigging out. I'm going to find Akame."

"Go to hell, Delsin!" Delsin chuckled and went to the nearby forests. He heard a branch snap and brought up an ice wall as something lunged at him. A startled yip and a whimper later and Delsin dropped the wall to see Thor shaking his head.

"Oh man, sorry Thor!" Delsin went to the pup and absorbed his lightning before healing him. Thor licked his cheek as he picked the pup up and Akame, and Leone walked over carrying large quantities of meat.

"Delsin," called Akame with a smile. She tossed her bundle to Leone and hugged him, careful not to crush Thor as she did. Delsin smiled and kissed her as Thor licked her cheek as well. Leone rolled her eyes and sighed before lugging the meat back to the compound. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Nothing I couldn't handle. Just a crazy homicidal general who somehow fell in love with me."

"She didn't…"

"No. We never slept in the same room. I made sure of it. And it's not like she could keep me contained."

"Where's Seryu?"

"Palace Infirmary. They got the bomb out."

"That's good to hear."

"Yeah." Delsin sighed and leaned against a tree. "You know, the more time passes, the more worried I find myself getting."

"Because of the Beast?"

"Yeah. Cole gave his life to kill the Beast from my world. What if I have to do the same. Leave behind you, Seryu and Fetch in the process."

"It won't come to that."

"We don't know that."

"No, but we do know we can beat him. We just need to work together. He's not unbeatable. He's not unkillable."

"Listen to her, Delsin," said Kessler as a small rift opened above them. "The Beast is powerful, but he's still human."

"If that's the case, then why didn't you fight him?!"

"Because I was a coward. And it cost my family their lives. You, Delsin, are not me. You're not a coward. You're better than me. Braver than me."

"But I'm not stronger. I'm just a mimic, I don't have the same raw power as normal Conduits like you, like Cole!"

"No, but you won't be alone. Trust me on this, Delsin. I have a plan in motion."

"Mind filling us in on it."

"Of course. I…" Before he could finish, the rift closed instantly.

"Something tells me that's not a good sign."

"I agree. Are the rifts starting to close completely?"

"I don't know. I hope not, because if that's the case…"

"You may not go home." Delsin sighed and held Akame close.

"Let's just hope for the best for now."

"Right." She placed her hand on his arm. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah. Come on, let's get started with dinner."

* * *

A few hours later, Delsin and Akame were asleep in her bed when Delsin got up in the middle of the night. He yawned and went out into the hall intending on getting a glass of water before heading back to bed. He'd just closed the door when he felt someone behind him and ducked under a blade. It struck the door and was lodged in it. As his attacker tried pulling it out, Delsin grabbed his arm and shocked him before restraining him to the ground. He knelt down and removed the man's mask, revealing the surgical scars on the man's face. "Ok, another man who's had reconstructive surgery. Now who the hell would do that that has a grudge against me? Well, there's the doctor with the horrible sense of style." Akame went out into the hall carrying Murasame and Gaea in her arms.

"What's going on," she asked as she handed him his Imperial Arm.

"Intruder, and I don't think he's alone."

"You're right about that," said a man. Delsin turned to him as he put Gaea on and absorbed ice from the Imperial Arm. "So, you're Eugene Simms. And you're associated with Night Raid."

"And let me guess, you work for Not-So-Stylish." Delsin grinned as the man grunted in surprise. "And he's after the plans isn't he? Great. Alright, asshole. Let's go."

"I've learned all of your tricks, Mr. Simms."

"Not all of them. Akame, get my jacket please." Akame nodded and went back into the room as Delsin tossed a Snowbomb at the man. It exploded in the air and froze his upper right half.

"What the hell?!"

"I told you. You don't know all of my tricks." Delsin fired a large projectile of ice at the man. It exploded but missed the man as he cracked the ice around him and dodged to the side. Icy mist filled the hall and the explosion woke up those in the Compound still asleep. Akame came back with his jacket and Delsin fished out a neon grenade and the Ray Sphere plans. He tossed the jacket back into the room and whistled for Thor. The pup bounded over and yipped at Delsin before growling at the man, fur sparking to intimidate him. Delsin popped the grenade and absorbed the light from the excited neon molecules. Delsin grinned as his arms and legs lit up. Akame stared in amazement as Delsin blasted the man's weak points with a Precision Shot and wrapped him in neon restraints. Akame stabbed the man in the heart and turned to Delsin.

"We don't know how many there are. We need to kill them, so we're not overwhelmed by revived enemies."

"In other words, shoot to kill." Delsin sighed. "This is gonna suck."

"I'm sorry but…"

"I know. No other choice this time." Delsin turned to the other person he restrained and sighed before kicking him, the force of the hit killing him instantly as he flew into a wall. He turned to Akame. "Check on the others in here. I need room to move with this power. I'll see you outside."

"Alright. Be careful." They shared a kiss and Delsin used Lightspeed to get outside where he was met with an army of masked men all with various types of weapons, melee and ranged.

"Guess that explains where all the criminals ended up." Delsin lobbed a Stasis Bubble at a nearby group and blasted them as they were lifted into the air. One of them got close and Delsin Dashed away before hitting him with a Phosphor Beam. Delsin restrained a few nearby and Dashed a safe space away before activating a Radiant Sweep as Night Raid ran outside to help with the fighting. Over in the Capital, Seryu was changing into her civilian clothes with Ayumi when they heard a loud noise outside. They ran outside and looked around. Seyu spotted faint lights coming from the direction of Night Raid's compound. _'Delsin, please be alright.'_

"What the hell was that," shouted Tatsumi as he ran over to Delsin.

"Radiant Sweep. I use it to take out large crowds."

"Hopefully the Imperial Guard didn't hear that," said Mine.

"Or see it," said Sayo. Delsin looked at the numbers.

"Damn. That's still a lot of bodies."

"And they're already starting to bring their people back," said Lubbock. "Look!" Delsin spotted a brute picking up the restrained people and rip them out of the restraints with ease.

"Ok, not good. I'll pick them off as I go! Hold out here!" Delsin used Lightspeed to run though the crowd, blasting people left and right and hitting them with the Neon enhanced Gaea.

On a mountain overlooking the compound, Doctor Stylish oversaw the assault on Night Raid with Team Stylish. Eyes blinked as he screamed in agony, the light from their target blinding him from the unexpectedness of it. Ears was also incapacitated as she covered her ears from the series of explosions that happened as a result of whatever that trick was called. Her ears were ringing so she couldn't hear what he called it. Stylish glared in annoyance at his tracking experiments. _'Note to self, touch up the reaction to their debilitation from their enhanced senses. I don't need these idiots complaining next time a loud noise of bright light goes off near them.' _"Come along, you three. Soon enough, Night Raid will be overwhelmed, and we'll regain my blueprints. We should make our way down now."

After ten minutes of nonstop running, Delsin stopped next to Night Raid and groaned. "You ok," asked Tatsumi as he used Neuntote to cleave one of the men in half.

"Just give me a second. I've never kept it up for that long before and I'm running on fumes…" Akame turned to him worried as he sounded out of breath.

"Same here," wheezed Celia. "There's too many. We've taken out a lot of them but some of them keep coming back up!"

"They don't have pain receptors anymore," panted Leone. "Anything nonlethal isn't gonna do shit."

"Delsin, can you do that sweep thing again," asked Sayo.

"No energy. It needs to charge up and after the last one, I'm cautious to use it in case the Capital sends people to investigate."

"So, in other words," said Mine. "We're doomed."

"They've gotta have a leader," said Lubbock. "Where would he be?"

"Mine," said Delsin. "Can you scope out the nearby mountains and hills?"

"Yeah, cover me." Delsin and Tatsumi nodded and defended her as she used Pumpkin's scope to try and find a spot overlooking the compound. "There, to the south, he's making his way to the gates!"

"Try and shoot him down!" Delsin lobbed one last Stasis Bubble giving Akame and Leone free targets to wipe out. Mine prepared to fire when she spotted something flying over Stylish.

"Boss is back! And she's got reinforcements!"

"Hopefully they can help us put a dent into them," said Tatsumi.

On the flying manta, Najenda turned to one of the five cloaked figures on board with her. "Time to show me what you can do, recruits!" In response one of them jumped off the tamed Danger Beast towards the army below.

**(Play 'God Mode' by Sons of Amon)**

Delsin watched as a single cloaked figure dropped and landed in the middle of the army, metal spikes erupting from the ground with the man at the center. The army turned to him and a number of them were cut down by a shower of metal shrapnel blasted from the man's hands. "A Conduit," shouted Delsin. One of the enemy men tried to bisect him with a great sword, only for it to snap in half as the man blocked with a single metal covered hand. He stomped on the ground and a metal spire came up and impaled the lobotomized soldier in the chest. A large sheet of metal came up, blocking a hail of gunfire before a handle formed in front of the Metal Conduit. He grabbed hold of the new object and hurled it at the firing squad, bisecting them at the waists. He picked up the broken weapon and absorbed it completely to replenish his reserves.

A brute grabbed onto him, attempting to lift him up and throw him into a nearby wall, only to find he was too heavy. He grabbed the brute by the shoulders and headbutt him, killing him instantly. He threw the corpse at a group of soldiers, knocking them backwards. He raised a wall of spikes behind them, impaling them from their momentum He formed blades on his hands and engaged with a couple of swordsmen. They were in a stalemate until he dropped a ball of shrapnel at their feet. It tore through their legs, allowing him to stab them through the chest.

Several of the lobotomized soldiers tried to overwhelm him only to be blasted by a large bolt of lightning from up above. The lightning arced to the metal man, burning away his cloak and revealing a face Delsin never thought he'd see again. "No way…"

"Come on you zombie bastards," shouted Reggie Rowe. The Metal Conduit and Hero of Seattle. Reggie tossed up a metal ball which exploded over him and sent shrapnel everywhere, taking out half of the remaining army. Reggie 'Metal Man' Rowe picked up one of the soldiers and slammed him down on top of his knee, breaking his back.

"Look out below," shouted a voice above. Night Raid looked up and spotted a man dropping from the air, lightning surrounding his body as he hurled downward.

"Reggie," shouted Delsin. "Lookout!" Reggie turned around and spotted his brother.

"Delsin?!" Delsin ran at Lightspeed and tackled Reggie out of the way as the Lightning Conduit slammed into the ground, wiping out more of the lobotomized soldiers. Cole used an Ion Charge and threw an Ionic Vortex towards a large group of them. the few that were still in the air and not killed from the surge of wind and electricity, he blasted with Arc Lightning, finishing them off.

"Damn," said Stylish. "I hadn't counted on this. More people with powers like that Eugene person."

"Delsin," said Ears.

"Hmm?"

"That's what they've been calling him. Delsin."

"Delsin, huh? Oh well. It matters not. Once I activate my trump card, they're all as good as dead." Delsin and Reggie stood up as Reggie dropped his metal armor.

"Is it really you," exclaimed the Rowe brothers.

"Less talking," said Cole as he threw away his burning cloak. "More fighting!" Cole lobbed Cluster Shock Grenades, taking out seven enemies.

"Holy crap," said Delsin. "That's…" Delsin was about to absorb lightning from Gaea when the ground shook. He turned to the gate and saw Stylish growing into a massive body. "Oh, come on! How the hell can we take down that?!"

"It's hopeless," shouted Stylish. "And once I consume my experiments, I'll be even stronger!" He grabbed ahold of Nose and Eyes and brought them up to his massive form's mouth which was situated under the upper half of his original body located on the giant beasts forehead. Ears attempted to run, only to be grabbed by Stylish.

"Let her go," shouted Delsin as he absorbed lightning from Gaea and dropped a bolt of lightning on the giant's arm. It dropped Ears and Delsin Flash Stepped to catch her.

"Now there's an idea," said Cole. "Hey, metal guy. You got a massive attack?"

"One, but I'm not in the right environment for it. It's more for crowd control."

"Damn. Guess I'll go it alone." Cole charged at the giant and stood right under it. "Kid! Get clear!"

"You got it!" Delsin ran out of the impact zone and got clear just as Cole brought lightning down on Stylish. The giant form dropped to a knee but other than that, was unharmed.

"Hah," exclaimed Stylish. "This body was specially constructed to combat Budo should the need arise! A mere lightning storm isn't enough to bring me down! Stun and damage me slightly, yes. But you won't kill me with that!"

"Then how about this," shouted a female voice up above. "Koro! Track 2!"

"Arf," came a cyberized reply as music started playing.

**(Play 'Wild Card' by Really Slow Motion)**

"Light me up, Koro!"

"Arf!" A drone turned visible and started emitting neon light atop the flying manta. Delsin watched as someone stood up and absorbed it before running off the manta and towards Stylish.

"Fetch…?" The drone followed its master as she ran along the body of Stylish's giant form, a concentrated beam of neon cutting at its arms.

"Go digital," shouted the woman. 'Koro' switched from emitting a neon light to displaying a video screen. She absorbed the video and sprouted pink wings on her back before flying a few dozen feet away and unleashing a Video Stream at Stylish's original body.

"Ow," exclaimed Stylish. "What the hell was that?!"

"Meet the technological future, asshole!" She flew high up above the giant, 'Koro' following suit. "Time for a rave, Koro!"

"Arf, arf!" Koro started glowing neon again, only this time it started emitting smoke as well.

"Can you do that," asked Lubbock as Night Raid watched the mystery woman absorb smoke and neon at the same time.

"I…" Delsin was speechless. _'Who is this chick?!'_ The mystery woman hovered over Stylish using a combination of Neon and Smoke Thrusters from both hands.

"Time to die, monster!" She shot higher into the air, much like Delsin would for an Orbital Drop. Hers was similar but with the added factor of a rapid fire stream of Neon shooting ahead of her and cutting Stylish away from his giant body. She slammed into him and rushed faster towards the ground using Smoke and Neon to propel her forward as another figure dropped from the manta, this one wielding a massive bludgeoning weapon and wiping out the rest of Stylish's army. Night Raid circled the man as he coughed up blood and the woman stumbled to the side, winded. Delsin turned to her with Reggie and Akame.

"Who are you," asked the Mimic Conduit. The woman removed her cloak, revealing a woman in her mid-twenties. She had a slim athletic build, pink and orange hair and was wearing a US military issue tactical vest and a US Army uniform underneath. She looked a lot like Fetch but with eyes more like Delsin's than Fetch's. She saluted to them.

"Sergeant Regina Rowe, United States Army Special Forces, reporting for duty!" She smiled as she dropped her salute. "Hi, Dad!"


	11. Kill The Reinforcements

Delsin sat on Najenda's flying manta, Akame leaning against him fast asleep as they flew to a new location to act as their headquarters. He looked beside him as the woman who claimed to be his daughter. She was flying next to the manta with her pink Video Wings, her drone flying beside her. She smiled at him and he waved back. "Is she really your daughter," asked Mine as she and Tatsumi sat across from him and Akame.

"That's what she claims," replied Delsin. "And she has too many similarities to me and Fetch for it to be a coincidence. Also, she calls her drone Koro."

"Like Seryu," said Tatsumi. "How is this possible?"

"I think this was part of Kessler's plan. The 'tunnel' the rifts are connected to is beyond time and space. We don't know what's possible with them."

"Or how much power he has over them," said Cole behind him. Delsin turned around to face the Demon of Empire City. "Do you trust him?"

"Kessler? Not really, But I don't have much of a choice. Unless I can master your power, he's my only chance of getting home."

"Which reminds me. How the hell do you have my power?"

"Kessler opened small rifts and allowed me to absorb power from you and your friend, Lucy."

"So you've got Ice powers as well. You're a regular power sponge, huh?"

"Yep. Smoke, Neon, Video, Concrete, Paper and now Lightning and Ice."

"If you want, I could show you a few tricks."

"I think there're a few things I could show you, Old Timer."

"Hey, I'm not that old, alright."

"Can we please cut the chatter," asked Reggie from his spot at the very center of the manta's back.

"What's the matter, Reg," asked Delsin. "Having Angel flashbacks?!"

"Just… don't talk to me. I couldn't get off this thing fast enough last time."

"Angel flashbacks," asked Lubbock.

"Back in Seattle, in order to find Eugene, Reggie got the bright idea to pose as a Conduit and get abducted by one of his video Angels. Gave him the ride of his life."

"And thank you for blasting me with smoke during that, Dick," muttered Reggie.

"Hey, kid," said Cole. "Mind giving me a recharge? This lack of electrical outlets is giving me a headache."

"No problem." He held out Gaea and produced lightning from its open slots for Cole to absorb.

"Thanks. Kessler neglected to tell me the entire world was a Dark Zone. Hey, why haven't you had the same reaction as me?"

"I don't know. Maybe because I'm only a Mimic, and not a full Lightning Conduit like you?"

"Some guys get all the luck." Delsin turned to Reggie.

"How are you alive?"

"Really, Delsin," asked Reggie. "You're asking me this now?!"

"Yeah, why not?! I mean we're both here! And you can't run away or avoid the question!"

"Delsin, I'll tell you as soon as we get back to the ground!" Leone chuckled.

"A badass man made of metal and he's afraid of heights!" She laughed and rolled around on the manta.

"Leone," said Mine. "You should be careful or you're going to…" Leone cried out as she fell off the manta. "…Fall off."

"I got her," shouted Regina as she dove for Leone. She brought her back up and dropped her next to Reggie before getting back to her spot.

"How are you so much better at maintaining those things than I am," asked Delsin.

"I've had this power since I was thirteen! You and Uncle Geek taught me how to use them!"

"Ok, starting to believe she's my daughter even more now. That's Fetch's nickname for Eugene."

"How are those two," asked Reggie, momentarily forgetting how high up they were. "Last I remember about them; they were held captive by Augustine.

"They're doing fine. They managed to get free, no thanks to me. After you fell, I brought down the platform in a fit of rage."

"What about the people on that platform, Delsin?"

"The cages were empty and the only other people there were the Dups. Those that weren't killed in the initial fighting were rescued by authorities or swam to shore."

"Good. At least they got out."

"Since you're in a talking mood, can you explain what happened?" Reggie sighed.

"When I fell, I held my breath for as long as I could. Which wasn't for very long because one moment I'm deep underwater, next moment, I'm in freefall. I remember plummeting to what seemed to be my death and then there was a bright flash that swallowed up me and half of Seattle. I woke up about three weeks later in the hospital. Turned out that bright flash was…"

"A Ray Sphere," said Cole.

"Yeah. Figures you'd know about it. You were at the center of the one in Empire City."

"All thanks to Kessler and his fucking mistake."

"You were saying," asked the girl who was sitting beside Najenda. Delsin hadn't caught her name yet. The most noticeable features about her were her hair, eyes and the lollipop she had in her mouth.

"Right," continued Reggie. "Well, as it turned out, I was sent to an alternate world through, I'm guessing one of the first rifts before they started popping up everywhere. In this world, the Ray Sphere was detonated in Seattle instead of Empire City. When I woke up, I noticed I didn't have a scratch on me, despite falling from a mile up. And the concrete that had crept up my body had shattered on impact with the ground. We didn't have a plague like Empire City did. Instead, Seattle was under martial law because of terrorist attacks."

"Let me guess," said Cole. "Fist Sons?"

"Yeah. They wanted the progression of the human race and had recruited some mercenary outfits to help them achieve their goals."

"That's a lot different than Kessler's First Sons. They didn't become terrorists. They were just scientists, some with some questionable pasts. But they didn't resort to terrorism."

"Then how'd you figure out it was them?"

"The Ray Sphere. It's what activated Conduits in our timeline and Kessler's. He shared information with me that the First Sons were the reason his Ray Sphere went off. He escalated the production of our Ray Sphere to make me what I am."

"So, this means you're from our Earth?"

"Maybe. I'm not entirely sure. What happened to me in your world."

"You fought the Beast in New Marais," said Delsin. "Used some device to defeat him, sacrificing Conduits in the process."

"Yeah, that sounds about right. Now for my side of the story. I did use the RFI. It was going to be a one way trip, but I had to stop John. He was turned into the Beast by the Ray Sphere back in Empire City. Anyway, when the RFI went off, something weird happened. I found myself in a tunnel, looking at myself before being pulled to another world."

"You must've gotten swapped with another Cole," said Reggie. "And he died in your place while you were sent to… wherever you came from."

"A world a lot different from ours, I can tell you that."

"How so," asked Tatsumi.

"Well for one, no Conduits. I'm the only one of my kind."

"Must be lonely," said Mine.

"It was, at first. But old habits die hard. Didn't take long before I found myself helping out people in danger. This caught the eye of a few people who took a great interest in me. Now I'm part of a team. I'm also married and have a kid on the way."

"So you've got a home to get back to," said Delsin.

"Yeah. And as much as I'd love to head back to our Earth, my family needs me back. As soon as we beat the Beast, I'm heading back to that Earth."

"What should I tell Zeke," asked Delsin.

"You met Zeke?"

"Not personally, but I helped him out a bit. He's currently with my friends trying to find a way for me to get back home."

"When you see him, just tell him I'm alright. I think I heard him a while back. I wasn't sure if I was hearing things or not. But it sounded like he was worried about me."

"He was your best friend, wasn't he?"

"We were more than best friends. We were like brothers. My 'death' must've hit him hard."

"Not hard enough to not help fight the DUP."

"What is the DUP?"

"Department of Unified Protection," said Reggie. "A government organization that was hunting down and imprisoning Bio-Terrorists. Their name for Conduit."

"How are there still Conduits, anyway? I thought the RFI wiped us all out."

"It wiped most of us out," said Delsin. "Eugene had a theory that evolution played a part in our survival. Conduits who hadn't been affected by the initial blast who had genes that would evolve without reacting to the Ray Sphere or the RFI."

"Huh. Hadn't considered that as an option."

"To be fair," said Reggie. "It is a pretty far stretch."

"We're here, guys," said Najenda. Reggie thanked whatever god watched over this world and didn't even wait for the manta to descend. He jumped off as fast as possible. Delsin chuckled before picking up Akame bridal style and jumping off as well. Cole sighed and followed after his fellow Conduits as Regina flew down next to the manta. Delsin looked around as he spotted the heavily forested area.

"How far are we from the Capital," he asked Najenda.

"We're a long ways away from the Capital. The Revolutionary Army recon unit is trying to find us a better hideout near the Capital, but until then, we'll remain here and train."

"Good to know." Akame began to stir and Delsin set her down.

"Are we there?"

"Yeah."

"Good."

"Alright," said Najenda. "I believe it's time to introduce our newest members. First I'd like you to meet…" She gestured to where the red haired girl had been standing, only to find her missing. "Huh?" Delsin found her beside him and Akame examining her hair.

"I already knew you were cute, but you're adorable from up close, Akame!"

"Why are you touching me," asked Akame. Delsin chuckled slightly at the blush on his girlfriend's face.

"Oh, yes. My name's Chelsea. Since we're going to be killing people together, I hope we all get along!" She held out a lollipop to Akame. "Here! This is for you!" Delsin saw Akame start to drool and swipe the candy from Chelsea.

"Welcome to the team!"

"Did she just win her over with a lollipop," asked Tatsumi.

"That long flight and nap must've made her really hungry," exclaimed Lubbock.

"Ease up, guys," said Delsin. "We really didn't have time to eat before we needed to leave the compound. My Radiant Sweep, Cole's Lightning Storm and Regina's Orbital Drop would likely have attracted a lot of unwanted attention. Not to mention we'd been fighting for over ten minutes with only a little bit of sleep. By the way, what happened with that girl that was with Stylish?"

"Celia took her to her personal hideout," said Najenda. "She was going to stay behind with Sayo and inform Seryu about what just happened."

"Oh, how did I miss that they weren't here?"

"Because you're dense," said Mine with a smug look.

"I'm sorry, I have a buzzing in my ear. I think there's a weird pink gnat around me."

"Why you…!"

"Somethings never change, huh Delsin," asked Reggie. Delsin chuckled before walking to Reggie.

"You know me, bro! If someone's annoying, I just tune them out."

"Like me?"

"Now you're getting it!" Delsin grinned and clasped his brother's hand, absorbing his power. The Rowe brothers woke up a few minutes later, Reggie shaking his head.

"Give me a warning next time!"

"Ah, come on! You'd never give me this power otherwise!"

"Double dick! How are you going to use my powers, anyway? I thought you needed Blast Cores."

"I figured out a new trick when we caught up with Celia before I came here."

"Celia… Penderghast?"

"One and the same. I already knew her life story, all I had to do was look at her memories of her powers instead."

"Aren't you still underpowered without Blast Shards to power you up?"

"Hold on," said Cole. "You can absorb Blast Shards?"

"Yeah. Part of my natural Conduit ability."

"I thought it was limited to just me."

"Apparently not." Thor yawned from Delsin's jacket pocket. Delsin pulled him out and set him down to let him stretch and go to a tree to relieve himself.

"What's with the blue and yellow dog," asked Reggie.

"Thor's a wolf, Uncle Reg," said Regina. "And more than that he's a Lightning Wolf Danger Beast." She knelt down as Thor walked back and held out her hand to him with a smile. He sniffed her hand before leaping into her arms. Regina smiled and turned to her drone. "Koro! Picture, please!"

"Arf!" A camera lens appeared from a slot in 'Koro's' chassis and it snapped a picture of her holding Thor. She grinned before turning to Delsin.

"So," said Reggie. "You're the daughter of Delsin and Abigail?"

"What gave it away? Me being a mirror image of my mom or having my dad's powers?"

"More like the sarcastic personality. It's like your all the annoying parts of Delsin combined with Abigail's sass."

"And Dad claims you're a bad Sherriff!"

"He what?" Delsin held his hands up as Reggie turned to him.

"Future me! Future me!"

"Can we get back to the introductions, please," asked Najenda.

"Yeah, sorry, Boss!" She cleared her throat as she gestured to the man who wielded the large bludgeoning weapon.

"As for this fellow, Command has entrusted him with me as well. Everyone, meet The Lightning Fast Susanoo. He's my new Imperial Arm." Delsin looked Susanoo over and saw he had blue hair with two horns sticking out of his head and was wearing a white jacket over a black shirt.

"He's a biological Imperial Arm like Koro," asked Delsin as he circled Susanoo.

"That's right." Delsin held out his hand to the Imperial Arm.

"Nice to meet ya, dude." Susanoo stared at him for a second before removing his jacket. "Hey! What the hell, man?!" Delsin watched as he skillfully repaired his jacket from the damage it took from the fight with Stylish's army. Delsin took it and looked it over. "Wow. Thanks, man."

"You're welcome," said Susanoo.

"Biological Imperial Arms are autonomous," said Najenda. "So he should be able to use his abilities and it won't be too draining," said Najenda. "Even with my injuries, I'll be able to use him."

"So you're going to join us in the field from now on," asked Tatsumi.

"Only on occasion when it looks like we'll need to use Susanoo's trump card."

"Ok," said Leone. "So what exactly is his primary ability? Does he only use hand to hand combat?" Najenda chuckled.

"Allow me to demonstrate that for you." She raised her hand. "Try to contain your excitement. Susanoo! Proceed!"

"Understood." Delsin stood back and watched as Susanoo rapidly cut down trees before starting to build a building from the ground up while also managing to wash the clothes of the girls and cook a meal using ingredients Akame 'saved' from the kitchen.

"Ok," said Lubbock. "I'll admit that does look impressive. But… what is he doing?"

"It looks like… chores," said Tatsumi. Delsin looked at Najenda who had a smug look on her face.

"Wonderful, isn't he?! Susanoo's original purpose was to protect royalty and others of status. Not only can he fight, but he's equipped with a broad range of cooking and cleaning skills, so he never has to leave his masters side. He can do it all! And the best part is, his menu includes a thousand dishes!"

"How is any of that gonna help us in a fight," asked Mine.

"He's a glorified maid," exclaimed Delsin.

"Actually," said Reggie. "He's a guy, so he'd be a butler."

"Didn't need the correction, Reg."

"Now, now," said Najenda. "I'm sure you'll come to appreciate it."

"Quick question," said Cole as he leaned against the new building. "What the hell is an Imperial Arm?"

"Did Kessler mention anything about powerful weapons before sending you here," asked Delsin.

"Yeah. And he was vague about what those weapons were."

"They're basically weapons that can rival a Conduit. Or in my case, increase a Conduit's prowess in combat. Gaea, here can create any natural element. Like you saw on the manta when you got your recharge. Pretty much everyone in Night Raid has an Imperial Arm. Well, except you three and Sayo."

"Got any available," asked Reggie.

"No, fresh out bro. They were made a long time ago and there were only a little over 40 made. The ones that don't have an owner are locked up in the Imperial Vault under the Palace."

"So, the odds of us getting one are…"

"Slimmer than you think. You have to be compatible with it. You can't just use it at will."

"What'll happen," asked Cole.

"A number of things," said Chelsea. "From losing your mind to horrific disembowelment."

"That's a pretty picture. If you'll excuse me, I'm gonna do some running."

"Take Thor," said Delsin. "Drain him a little when you feel your headache coming on."

"Alright. Come on, Mutt." Thor jumped down from Regina's arms and followed Cole. "He's pretty smart, huh?"

"And he knows what 'mutt' means. Call him that again and he'll bite ya. Lubbock found that out the hard way." In response, Lubbock unconsciously rubbed his hand.

"I'll keep that in mind." Delsin looked at the sun before turning to Regina.

"If I were to fly, how long would it take me to get to the Capital?"

"About five hours. But you can't sustain your wings long enough."

"No, but I can try."

"Dad, it's not a good idea at this time. I know you want to check up on Mama Seryu, but…"

"'Mama' Seryu," asked Reggie.

"Dad's dating Mom, Mama Seryu and Mama Akame."

"Uh huh. Delsin, a word."

"Uh oh. I know that tone." Regina mouthed 'sorry' at Delsin as he followed Reggie behind a few tress.

"Three women, Delsin?!"

"Fetch said she was ok with it."

"Did she now?"

"Yes. Well, I don't know. It was over the radio, I only heard the last part of what she said, and Seryu claims she was hinting that she was ok with me bringing another girl into the relationship. I personally couldn't tell is she was joking or not."

"And yet you still chose to date two other women without her knowledge?"

"I'll tell her when Kessler reconnects our world with this one."

"And how long will that take?"

"Honestly? I don't know."

"Delsin…"

"Hey, everything is going to work itself out. Alright?"

"Of all the irresponsible things you've ever…"

"Hey, I care about each of them, ok! I'd never do anything to harm any of them intentionally, and if Regina is any evidence, I never will."

"Delsin, the future isn't set in stone."

"But if we know certain things are the way they are for Regina, and things haven't changed, wouldn't that mean her future is the one that will happen?"

"We don't know that for certain."

"Reg, can't you be happy for me? I care for them. No, more than that, I love them. I've gotten to know each of them and have gotten close to each of them. I started dating Fetch back in Seattle and in the months I've been here, I've worked closely with Akame and Seryu. I know all of them."

"Delsin, there's a difference between love and attraction."

"Don't you think I know that, Reggie?! I'm not some hormonal teenager, god dammit!"

"Delsin, I just want to make sure you know what you're getting yourself into."

"Reg, I appreciate it man, I really do. But this is _my_ love life. And I'd appreciate it more if you let me handle it, alright?" Reggie opened his mouth to say something before thinking otherwise and sighing.

"Fine. But when this blows up in your face…"

"If it blows up."

"_When_, Delsin. Because stuff like this never ends well."

"We'll make it work. Trust me on this." Reggie sighed.

"Just don't come crying to me when it doesn't." Delsin sighed and walked back to the group, spotting Chelsea teasing Mine.

"Oh my god," exclaimed Chelsea with a grin as Mine growled at her. "You're flat as a board, aren't you?!"

"Shut up," shouted Mine. Meanwhile, Lubbock was sizing up Susanoo while Regina was messing with 'Koro' and speaking with Akame.

"Something tells me there will be no more peace and quiet for a while…"

"That went out the window when we got attacked," said Tatsumi.

"Guess you're right."

"I still can't believe your brother's alive!"

"I know. I almost don't believe it either. But here he is. Wait till we get back home. The tribe is going to freak."

"Delsin, does he want to go back?"

"What do you mean?"

"He's spent the time since you last saw him in another world, right? Wouldn't he want to stay there?"

"That world was destroyed," said Reggie as he walked over to them. "The Beast found his way there and devastated it. I fought him a number of times and barely escaped each time. The last time, Kessler pulled me here. I think by now, the Beast has leveled everything."

"So you fought him," asked Delsin.

"Yeah."

"So did Hank."

"Hank Daughtry?"

"Yeah. The team back home is working with the new DUP director to help me get home. They recruited Hank to try and find me a while ago. He dropped off my charger and a few gas grenades to use in combat."

"And that was when you spoke with Fetch. Got it. What happened?"

"We don't know. All we know is on his way back, he took longer returning than he did to get here. When he got back… he said he'd fought the Beast, that he was coming. We don't know what state he was in. We just know it was probably bad."

"Damn. I never thought Hank would fight the Beast."

"If it meant potentially protecting his daughter, he would." Delsin cast a glance at Regina before turning back to Reggie. "He was the strongest Conduit I met out of all of us."

"Hey," said Cole as he came back, Thor panting beside his leg. "I'm standing right here." Delsin turned to him.

"No offense. But you didn't see how strong Hank was. I'm sure out of the three of us, you can wipe out, what? Two dozen soldiers and the same amount of Conduit enhanced soldiers?"

"Fair estimate, yeah."

"Hank took out more, all to get to his daughter. And I followed his path of destruction. Every time the Dups faced him, it was in an area with very few smokestacks, giving him limited ammunition. And he still devastated them. That's how strong Hank is."

"Damn. Guess a father will do anything for his daughter."

"You're one to talk," said Reggie. "Isn't Kessler another version of you?"

"I… don't have a comeback for that."

"And that being said." Reggie turned to Delsin. "What are you going to do about Regina?"

"I… don't know. On one hand, she's my daughter, and I don't want anything to happen to her. On the other hand, it looks like I already had a say in what she could do. Look at her, man. She's probably just a little bit older than I am at this point in her life. She's in the army. I can't tell her what to do, she's an adult."

"But still…"

"She can make her own decisions, Reggie. I'm not a father, not yet at least."

"...How do you know?"

"Excuse me?" Reggie turned to Regina.

"Regina," called Reggie.

"Sup, Unc?"

"What year was it when you went through the rift?"

"Not supposed to tell you!"

"Mind if I take a guess?"

"Go ahead!" Reggie turned to Delsin.

"What year is it back home?"

"2015," said Delsin.

"Wha… really?!"

"Yeah, why?"

"I spent four years in my world."

"Remember, not every world will experience time in the same way," said Regina. "Time dilation is a bitch."

"Right. I'm just gonna save my brain the headache and just do some basic math. She looks about, what? 25? 26?"

"I'm 24, if you're wondering!"

"…She's the same age as you."

"A year younger. You, uh, missed my birthday, by the way."

"I'll get you some paint sets when we get back home."

"Paint sets?! What am I, three?!"

"With the way you're acting," said Reggie and Regina. She smiled at her uncle's surprised and proud look. Delsin grinned at Reggie.

"Believe you're related now?"

"I'll admit. There's a slight possibility she could be a Rowe."

"Screw possibility. She thinks like us. She has my eyes. She looks like Fetch. What else do you need?"

"Hold on, let me think Delsin."

"The year you're looking for is 2039, by the way." Delsin turned to Regina. "Hey, are you from the year 2039?!" Regina just smirked and blew a bubble from the gum she'd been chewing. "Wait… 2039? That'd mean…"

"Holy shit, Delsin," said Reggie. "Is Abigail pregnant?!"

"I…" Delsin chuckled slightly before fainting. Regina sent 'Koro' to catch him before he hit the ground, already knowing it was going to come. She smiled.

"Dad's so predictable."

* * *

A few weeks later, Delsin walked into Seryu's family home and looked around. "Seryu must be on patrol."

"Delsin," called Seryu from the kitchen. "Is that you?"

"Never mind. Yeah, it's me!" Seryu walked into the foyer and smiled. Delsin kissed her and grinned as she seemed to purr before blushing at the sound she made. Delsin chuckled as she smacked him. Koro yipped at her feet and hit Delsin as well.

"Is everything ok? The other day, me and Ayumi heard a few loud noises and I spotted some weird lights in the distance coming from the compound."

"It's been… an eventful few weeks. Starting with Stylish attacking the compound."

"How did he find it?!"

"Remember the lack of criminal activity we had?"

"Yeah, Ayumi said that their investigation led them to Stylish's personal lab. They found a known fugitive in there being operated on. Budo seems to think Stylish was altering the appearance of criminals and sending them back out on the streets."

"Sounds about right and makes what happened at the compound more believable. He came at us with an army. They were all lobotomized and couldn't feel pain. More than one of them had to be part of the gangs we'd been taking down lately. All of them put back out into the streets as his private army rather than executed. When I took the plans for the Ray Sphere from him, he must've started getting paranoid and ordered his army on standby to sack the Capital."

"He must've seen them in your pocket during the hunting party…" Seryu smacked his shoulder. "I told you to leave them at the compound!"

"I couldn't risk the chance we'd get attacked and the enemy could make off with them!"

"That doesn't mean you keep them on you!"

"Ok, ok, you were right."

"At the very least, you should've burned them."

"I would've but I've been extremely reluctant to use smoke recently."

"You don't need to use your powers, Dummy! Any simple flame will do!"

"I… kinda forgot about that fact."

"It's obvious!" She smacked him once more before hugging him. "I'm just glad you're ok…" Delsin hugged her back with a sad smile.

"Me too. How much time do you have off?"

"Two days. Budo wasn't taking any chances."

"Come on, then. I'll take you to the new base."

"Alright then." She took his hand in hers and the two left the Ubiquitous manor. The trip to the new base took roughly 3 hours, Seryu memorized the route they took and filed it away for when she needed to deliver news to Night Raid. Instantly, she spotted two men having an arm wrestling contest. One she recognized as one of the Imperial Arms from the book. The other she couldn't believe what she was seeing. He was a man entirely made of metal.

"Ok, who egged them on?"

"Leone and Lubbock," said Akame as she walked over. She greeted Delsin with a kiss and Seryu with a smile.

"Somehow, I'm not surprised. Excuse me, ladies." He went over behind Reggie, grabbed a large piece of 2x4 and wound up for a swing.

"Who's Imperial Arm is Susanoo?"

"The boss. Command gave her the go ahead to use him."

"And the other guy?"

"That's…"

"Akame," called Chelsea from the kitchen. "Cole's about to burn dinner!"

"Not the meat… Excuse me, Seryu." The Imperial Guard blinked as Akame ran towards where she assumed the kitchen was as Chelsea walked over to her.

"You must be our secret informant in the Jaegers."

"That's right," said Seryu as she saluted. "Sergeant…"

"Oh my gosh! You salute like a little soldier I know! That's so adorable!" She squeezed Seryu's cheeks slightly with a smile, making the auburn haired girl blush.

"Stop teasing her, Chels," said Delsin as he walked over, Reggie right behind him.

"Whatever you say, Dels."

"Ok, you know what…"

"Delsin, you started it," said Reggie as he dropped his armor. "Apologize."

"But I didn't even…"

"Delsin…" The Mimic Conduit sighed before turning to Chelsea.

"I'm sorry for using a name that bothers you. God, it's like elementary all over again…"

"Thank you."

"Oh, I don't mind the name. I just know you don't like your name shortened like that," said Chelsea.

"Another thing like elementary, a girl with a crush on you teasing you to no end." Chelsea blushed darkly as Seryu turned to Delsin.

"Are you going to introduce me," she asked.

"Oh right, this is Seryu Ubiquitous." Seryu smiled and shook Reggie's hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Arf," said Koro from her other arm.

"Koro says hi too!"

"And Seryu…" Delsin smiled as he clipped Reggie's badge to his brother's jacket. "This… is my brother. Reggie Rowe." Seryu stared at Delsin in shock before turning to his brother.

"Nice to finally meet the _third_ woman in my brother's life," said Reggie.

"Did you have to put emphasis on 'third'?"

"Yes, because I still think you dating three women at the same time is a very bad idea."

"We've been over this!"

"Wha…" started Seryu. "How…? Delsin said…"

"That I fell to my death, right," asked Reggie. Seryu nodded, numbly. "Well, when I dropped into Seattle Bay, I found myself in a different version of our world. One where the Ray Sphere was detonated in Seattle instead of Empire City. That's how I survived."

"Turns out," said Delsin. "The rifts have been opening up for a while, they just never opened where people noticed."

"So," said Seryu. "You're actually…"

"His brother, yes. From the same world. And a Conduit."

"My brother," said Delsin. "A man of few words and even fewer luck scoring a date."

"Ok, time out!"

"Hey, it just occurred to me. You only dislike the situation I'm in because you're jealous of me."

"Jealous of…? Delsin that's ridiculous. You're ridiculous."

"I don't know," said Chelsea. "Any man would give anything to be in Delsin's position right now…"

"Yeah, until they actually get it. Then they find out how ludicrous and absurd it would be to try juggling three women at once in their lives."

"He's speaking from experience," said Regina above them. Seryu looked up and spotted a woman floating with what seemed like pink wings coming from her back.

"Regina…"

"Wait, wait, wait," said Delsin. "What are you talking about?"

"Spoilers… just ask him…" She floated off towards the kitchen.

"Who was that," asked Seryu.

"I'll explain during dinner. You've already met Chelsea. She's another person sent over by Command as reinforcements."

"Nice to meet you," said Chelsea.

"You as well," said Seryu.

"Hey, big guy," Delsin called to Susanoo who had just finished picking up the splinters of the broken 2x4 Delsin swung at his brothers back to make Susanoo lose. "Come say hello!"

"You know," said Reggie. "I had him on the ropes."

"Yeah, and I'm the Queen of England. Susanoo, this is Seryu."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Susanoo," said Seryu with a smile. She hesitated slightly as he stared at her as a breeze wafted over them. "Is he ok?"

"He's a neat freak. Dude'll obsess over the smallest thing until he fixes it." On cue, Susanoo messed with Seryu's hair until it was moved back into place in her usual hairstyle.

"There, that's better," said Susanoo.

"Oh, thanks…" Susanoo nodded before Leone called from the kitchen.

"Hey guys! Food's ready!"

"Come on," said Delsin as he wrapped his arm around Seryu's waist. "I'll introduce you to everyone else that's joined."

"Alright," replied Seryu. They followed after Reggie and Susanoo to the kitchen, Chelsea right behind them. They walked in and Seryu spotted a man with a shaved head arguing with Akame.

"Hey," said the man. "Cooked is cooked. Who cares how it gets cooked?"

"You nearly burned it," said Akame.

"Oh, I did not. This new version of the Amp came with retractable blades for the more resilient enemies back home. I sent a few thousand volts into the meat, cooking it from the inside out. I've done it hundreds of times."

"Cole," said Reggie. "Maybe Susanoo and Akame should handle the cooking from now on."

"Fine. No one appreciates my work. That feels familiar."

"Cole," said Delsin as he led Seryu over to him. "This is Seryu."

"Oh right, the second of the three girlfriends. I'd shake your hand, but Delsin told me about the implants in your arms, wouldn't want to shock you."

"Shock," asked Seryu.

"This is Cole MacGrath," said Delsin. "The Lightning Conduit." Seryu blinked before turning to Delsin.

"Ok, what is going on? You said Cole MacGrath died fighting the Beast in your world."

"I would've," said Cole. "But I apparently got swapped with another version of myself. He died in my place. I ended up in a version of Earth without Conduits."

"Yeah," said Delsin. "He still won't tell us what that world is like. And last but not least…"

"O-M-G," exclaimed the girl from before. Seryu grunted as a blur ran passed her and Koro was taken from her arms. "It's classic Koro!"

"Arf," barked Koro as he tilted his head curiously.

"Arf," sounded Regina's drone as it shifted into the visible spectrum. Seryu blinked as it hovered in front of her before it shifted into a mechanical version of Koro and landed on the ground in front of her.

"You didn't say it could do that," said Delsin.

"Well, I normally keep him in his drone form on a mission, which technically I am, but occasionally he shifts into this form for…" Regina seemed to realize who was standing in front of her and gasped before dropping Koro and standing at attention with a Salute. "Mo-Ma'am! Sergeant Regina Rowe, United States Army Special Forces, reporting!" Seryu blinked as Delsin chuckled, turning to Chelsea.

"Now I see what you meant earlier." Chelsea grinned with her lollipop in her mouth as Regina blushed before dropping her salute and smiling at Seryu.

"Hi, Mama Seryu!"

"W-what," asked Seryu.

"Seryu," said Delsin as he stood behind Regina. "This is Regina. She's mine and Fetch's biological daughter and yours and Akame's daughter by proxy in our future."

"She's…" Regina smiled with a light blush and hugged her. Seryu hesitated slightly before returning the hug. Reggie nudged Delsin.

"She took it better than you."

"Shut up, I told you I passed out from exhaustion."

"No," said Regina with a grin. "You fainted, Dad. Though, that was after you figured out Mom is cuurently pregnant with me."

"Alright! I get it, no sympathy from my own daughter. Ungrateful brat…"

"Love you too, Dad!"

"How," asked Seryu.

"Rifts in space _and_ time," said Regina with a smile. "Kessler came to my time to get me to help with the Beast. And when he mentioned I'd be helping out my parents when they were younger, of course I jumped at the opportunity!"

"And there's the Seryu coming out," said Lubbock.

"We'll see the Akame side when she starts eating," said Tatsumi.

"And Delsin if we piss her off."

"With a temper that could only be from this Fetch girl…"

"And she seems obsessed with sweets." They exchanged a look.

"Who's that from," they asked themselves.

"Can we start eating," asked Akame, already drooling as she saw the spread she'd helped prepare.

"Come on," said Delsin. "Let's chow down before these two clear the table before we can get anything." He gestured to Akame and Regina, both of whom pouted slightly before everyone laughed.

* * *

**(Imperial Palace, Stylish's former lab)**

A man with golden eyes and pale lilac hair grinned as he found something within Stylish's hidden files. "Oh, you had this in store, Stylish? Seems simple enough to assemble. And with that alchemist's abandoned workshop, I can get it done in half the time!" Shura, the son of Prime Minister Honest, grinned as he held a hand drawn copy of a strange device as well as maps to Stylish's hidden labs across the Empire.


	12. Kill The Unnatural Danger Beasts

Delsin blasted a barrage of concrete at the abnormal Danger Beast, killing it instantly. "Jesus, what are these things?"

"No idea," said Seryu as Koro devoured another. "I've never heard of Danger Beasts like these before." She sliced on down the middle and turned to him. "Are you ok, working with… _her_?"

"As long as Esdeath stays silent, we're good."

"What about if she makes a comment about… you know?" Delsin sighed as he slammed another into the ground.

"I know I don't have the best acting skills, but I know how I felt when Reggie was, you know, 'dead'. I can just replicate it. Angry is something I can do easily."

"Just… be careful. She's fully aware of your Ice powers now."

"But not everything else. I may not have access to Video without Mecha-Koro here, but I still have Neon Grenades and Gaea can produce electricity for me to use Lightning. "I'll be fine." Koro ripped the last one in half and Seryu pressed herself against him.

"I know that. Doesn't mean I don't worry." Delsin wrapped her in a hug and kissed her forehead. They stayed like that for a moment before Seryu pulled away. "Come on, let's go back to the others, see if they've tracked down where these things came from."

"Lead the way, Sergeant."

"Excuse me. But I'm a Commander, now. And I deserve to be called by my proper rank." She stuck her nose in the air, acting like an exaggerated noblewoman. Delsin's only reply was to kiss her, making her lose her mock arrogance. She smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "That's not fair."

"I know. But it was fun…" They heard a forced gag as they leaned in for another kiss and spotted Kurome nearby.

"You two done yet?" Delsin sighed as they pulled apart.

"Yes, god your timing sucks, you know?"

"We don't get paid to stand around making out."

"I forgot you guys get paid for this."

"It is our standing job in the Empire," said Seryu.

"I know, I only got called in as a favor to you, so I don't expect any pay." Delsin knelt next to one of the Danger Beasts to examine it. "God, these things are ugly. And look at this. Mechanical limbs." Seryu looked at the limb.

"I recognize this type of metal. It's the same type that Dr. Stylish used…" She exchanged a look with Delsin before turning to Kurome. "Let's head back."

"You said Stylish made these things?"

"That's what it looks like," said Delsin. He kicked one over and traced his hand along the neckline. "No surgical scars. But this is the only humanoid Danger Beast I've ever heard about. And with Stylish's modifications, this doesn't bode well." Delsin ducked under a swing he heard coming and covered his arm in concrete, blocking a strike from Kurome. "What the hell?!"

"You've gotten faster," said the small girl.

"I spent the last month or so escorting a weird merchant in a Danger Beast heavy area. I've had time to better my reflexes."

"Um… Kurome," asked Seryu. She turned to the Imperial Guard who was holding back Koro in his dog form from biting her. "…Please don't kill my boyfriend…" They followed along the road and found Bols killing three of them who were attacking a merchant cart. Bols turned to the frightened merchants, his mask making them even more fearful.

"Now, now, I've already killed the Danger Beasts. There's no reason to be afraid." They back up from him as he took a step forward. Delsin patted one on the back and they turned to him with a shriek, only to calm down when they saw him.

"Oh, it's you, Eugene."

"Oh, hey," said Delsin. "You're the guys who brought me to the Capital! Nice to see you're still working." He turned to Bols. "Hey Bols, maybe next time you should remove the mask before trying to calm someone down."

"Hmm," asked Bols as he felt his face. "Oh my, I forgot I had it on again! Silly me!"

"Don't worry about it." He turned back to the merchants. "We took care of the Danger Beasts along the road. It should be safe to get back to the Capital now."

"Thanks, Eugene," said the merchant. "Here." He handed him a bag of coins.

"Not this again. Come on."

"I insist. Things have been a lot better since you came to the Capital. It's the least I could do."

"Stop. That's your hard earned money. I can't take it for doing something any decent person should do." Delsin waved them off before turning to the others. "Come on, let's go find your boss so I can go home." They went to where Esdeath had gone off to and saw her encase three Danger Beasts in ice.

"There," she said. "Much easier to capture when they're covered in ice." Delsin, hearing her words, blasted them to pieces with a Concrete barrage. She turned to him. "What are you doing?"

"If you think I'm going to risk these things running loose in the Capital, you've got another thing coming."

"I have explicit orders to capture a few of them to study."

"I don't give a damn." Delsin walked along the ice and picked up one of the metal protrusions jutting from the humanoid Danger Beasts back. "If you read General Budo's report, you'd know Stylish went missing shortly after we discovered he was putting criminals due for execution back on the streets with altered appearances. Around that time, there had been no criminal activity for the better part of a week. What does that tell you?"

"This better have a point."

"The running theory," said Seryu. "Is that Dr. Stylish was planning on attacking the Capital with these criminals as his personal army. And given how these Danger Beasts have his preferred metal and modifications…" Delsin tossed the metal tube to Esdeath for her to examine. "…I think it's safe to say these were part of his plan as well." Seryu made of show of malice on her face. "I CAN'T BELIEVE HIM! I TRUSTED THE MAN AND HE CHOOSES TO BETRAY THE EMPIRE?! IF I EVER FIND HIM, I'LL KILL HIM!" _'Laying it on a bit thick there, Ser,'_ thought Delsin. Esdeath tossed the tube over her shoulder.

"It's getting dark. Let's head back to the Capital," she said, already moving ahead of her subordinates and Delsin. She could feel Delsin glaring at her back and clutched at her chest, a feeling of heartbreak and guilt washing over her, though she had problems identifying either for what they were. Within a couple of hours, they found themselves back in the Jaegers meeting room, Delsin sitting with Seryu as they watched Kurome and Wave play chess.

"Tea's ready, everyone," said Bols as he walked into the room, carrying a tray with several cups of tea on it.

"Oh, thanks Bols," said Kurome.

"Thank you for always waiting on us," said Wave.

"Thank nothing of it," said Bols as he placed their tea in front of them. "I like being helpful." Delsin noticed Wave frown.

"What's up with you?"

"It's not fair to Bols. He's such a nice guy, and those guys back there, even after he destroyed the Danger Beasts, they judged him based on how he looks!"

"Didn't you do the same thing," asked Kurome.

"Oh, crap! I did!"

"Would you calm down," said Delsin. "Bols, does it bother you? People acting like that around you?" Bols sighed as he handed Delsin and Seryu their tea.

"I'm not a… nice person. I've burned inflicted and diseased villages to the ground. I was an executioner and burned innocent people to ashes. I've lost count of the number of people who want to see me dead…"

"But all you were doing was following orders," said Wave.

"Unjust orders, and you know it," said Delsin. "It doesn't matter if it was for a job."

"He's right, Wave," said Bols. "Karma is still karma. And I can't help feeling I'm getting what I deserve."

"Bols," said Wave. "You shouldn't torture yourself like that. Look, if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, I'm right here, ok?" The door to the room suddenly opened and a woman with long light brown hair and purple eyes, carrying a little girl with blonde hair and blue eyes came in.

"Honey," exclaimed the woman with a smile.

"Daddy," called the little girl.

"Huh," exclaimed Wave in surprise. Delsin held back a chuckle as Bols turned to the doorway.

"My girls," he shouted, the smile on his face obvious from his voice. "What are you lovely ladies doing here?"

"Well," said the woman, obviously Bols' wife. "It was late, so we figured we'd bring you dinner here!"

"Oh, you are too good to me!" He turned to the people in the room. "Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to the two most important people in my life! My wife, Kije! And our lovely daughter, Logue!" Delsin and Seryu smiled as Wave still had a shocked expression on his face, Kurome munching away at her cookies, seemingly uninterested. "I appreciate the sentiment, Wave. But my wife and daughter know all about the things I do. And they still love me, no matter what. It's because of them that I maintain my cheerful demeanor." Delsin stood up and went over to them.

"Nice to meet you," he said. "I'm Eugene."

"Oh," said Kije. "You're the young man who's been helping people around the Capital, right?"

"That's right!" He smiled at Logue. "Hi!"

"Hello," said the little girl with a smile. "Can you really do all that stuff with your hands?"

"What stuff, I don't know what you're talking about." He grinned as she pouted. Behind his back, he absorbed Ice and smiled at her. "You mean, this?" He held out his hand and formed a small angel made of ice in his palm. She gasped as she stared at it. He handed it to her as Seryu walked over.

"Ever since he got Ice powers, he's been doing that with the children in the slums," she said with a smile. "He just loves to entertain." She saluted to them. "I'm Commander Seryu Ubiquitous of the Imperial Guard and Bols' sister in arms." She brought Koro forward. "And this is Koro!"

"Arf," barked the Imperial Arm.

"Can I pet the doggy," Logue asked her father.

"Of course you can," replied Bols. Logue smiled as she pet Koro on the head. Delsin smiled at them.

"I'd love to get to know you guys," he said to Bols' family. "But I gotta talk with General Budo about something." He turned to Seryu. "See you at home."

"Alright," she replied. They shared a kiss before Delsin made his way to Budo's office. He stopped halfway when he felt someone following him. "What do you want, Kurome?" He turned around, facing the young assassin.

"You knew it was me?"

"Medicine cookies, remember?"

"You can smell them from there?"

"Call it a talent. Now, what's up?" Kurome sighed before walking over to him.

"I want this stuff out of my system. I wanted to know if your offer was still on the table."

"Always. If this stuff is harming you, I'll help you with detox. Come by Seryu's house tomorrow. We'll start then, alright?" Kurome nodded and went back to the meeting room. Delsin continued on his way and turned to where he remembered the Vault was. "Alright, Mecha-Koro…" His daughter's drone turned visible. "Time to go stealth."

"Arf," barked the drone quietly before showing it's video screen. Delsin grinned as he absorbed the Video pixels and activated his Invisibility. He made his way to where he remembered the vault was and found it guarded by two people from the Emperor's personal guard. With practiced ease, he pinned them to the ground with his signature blades before knocking them out and resuming his mission. He made his way down to the Vault and opened his jacket pocket.

"You're up, Celia." The Paper Conduit unfolded herself and shook herself loose.

"Contortionists can kiss my ass."

"Brag later. Get the Imperial Arms now, there should be 7 in there."

"Do you ever wash that jacket?" She flattened herself and slipped through the cracks of the Vault door. Delsin sniffed at his jacket briefly before shaking his head and turning invisible once more. Celia opened the Vault from the inside, her arms and the coat she brought carrying the Imperial Arms. "There were only six." Delsin turned visible before replying.

"Maybe they found someone compatible. Just hurry up." Celia expanded her powers to her cargo and folded herself up into a paper square. He caught her and placed her back in his pocket. He made his way back up to the secret entrance and absorbed the swords, canceling his invisibility, before clearing his throat. "Hey! I need some help over here!" Delsin made a show of checking the two unconscious guards for injuries while absorbing smoke from Gaea as Budo and several guardsmen ran over.

"Mr. Simms," called Budo. "What's going on?!"

"I was lost in thought and ended up wandering around the castle on my way to talk with you. I found myself here and these two unconscious." Budo turned to the other guardsmen.

"Check the Vault! They're going after the Imperial Arms!" They ran down the steps and Delsin turned to him.

"Where's the Emperor? They could be going after him as well!"

"In his chambers! Go down the hall you saw me coming from and make a right, it'll be the door straight ahead!" Delsin nodded and Smoke Dashed down the hall, keeping up the appearance of a worried friend of the Empire. Finding an empty hall with no guards or patrols, Delsin tossed Celia out a window and watched as she unfolded before Papertrailing out of sight, careful to avoid moonlight. Delsin continued to the Emperor's chambers where two of his personal guard were guarding the door.

"There's been a break in! Two guards were found unconscious outside the entrance to the Vault! Budo sent me to check on his highness!"

"I'll check on him," said one of the guards. "But no one could've gotten passed us!"

"Ever hear of windows? There's an open one in the hall behind me! They could've gotten in there and stayed hidden until now!" The guards exchanged worried looks before opening the door to check on the Emperor. They spotted him in the middle of writing.

"What's going on," asked the child emperor.

"There's been a break in," said one of the guards. "We're checking your room to make sure there's no one hiding in here." Delsin stood by the door, eyes scanning the room as the two guards turned over everything as a precaution. Delsin turned to the Emperor.

"You doing ok, kid?"

"You will address his highness with his proper title, said one of the guards."

"Bite me." The child emperor laughed slightly at his comment.

"I am doing well, Mr. Simms."

"Good." He looked around the room. "Do you ever leave the Palace. Kid?"

"Uncle says it's not fitting for an emperor to walk amongst the common people."

"No offense, but I don't trust or like your uncle. A good man wouldn't think twice about giving to those in need, and your uncle was all too hesitant to keep all that food and all those clothes to himself. I see you gave a few of your clothes to the children when supplies were given to the Slums."

"After careful thinking, I remembered Uncle's clothes were far too big for the children. So I donated a few of my own clothes that no longer fit."

"See? Now that's the essence of a good person." Delsin was silent for a moment before speaking up once more. "A few of the merchants I know and protect told me that their taxes were being increased. Why is that."

"Uncle said we need all the funds we can get to combat the Revolutionary Army. He says they're a threat to our way of living."

"His way maybe. But you're still a kid. You haven't learned how to live yet. And I think you're uncle knows that."

"What do you mean?"

"Men who seek power are willing to do anything to get it. And once they have that power, they'll hold onto it with every fiber of their being. Bad men with power have done a lot of evil things where I come from. Taking over land and killing or enslaving the people who lived on that land originally. My tribe was victim to that on multiple occasions. They take resources claiming it's for the betterment of the nation when really it's to show people who is in charge. They horde all the food, water, medicine, and shelter for themselves as people starve, dehydrate, get sick and sleep exposed to the elements, all while the people in power claim they have a larger right to do this because of their position." Delsin glanced the Emperor and saw him frowning as a lot of what Delsin just said sounded exactly like what Honest had been doing since his parents died and he took the throne.

"Mr. Simms, what happened to the people who did all of that stuff where you came from?"

"It's probably best you don't know for now. I don't want to scare you…"

"Please, Mr. Simms… I need to know." Delsin sighed and rubbed the back of his head before looking the child emperor in the eye.

"They end up making more than a few enemies. Out of the common people and those in power beside him. Normally they have someone to act as a puppet, pulling their strings so they make the choices to the public and the puppet master seemingly gets away without so much as a punishment with everything they've taken from the country. But that's on the rarest of occasions. Majority of the time, tensions build up until the public can't take it anymore. What follows next always leads to the deaths of those in charge, puppet and master alike. Anger, hate, war… death. Revolution is the only outcome from taking those kinds of actions. Bad people push the good ones one step too far and they start pushing back, hard. If you're worried about the future, maybe you should have the Guard do a thorough investigation into your parents' deaths. And ask me to help with it. I know how to work with little to make big revelations." The guards finished their search and started restoring the room to its original layout.

Delsin waved goodbye to the Emperor and went back to the barracks where Budo was giving instructions to the guards, the two Delsin 'found' being checked for wounds other than mild concussions. Budo turned to him. "How's the Emperor?"

"Kid's fine. No intruders in sight. The Vault?"

"Stripped clean. It looks like they were after the Imperial Arms. All seven of the remaining weapons in the Vault were gone."

"How could anyone escape the Palace without anyone even noticing?" Budo thought for a second.

"I think I know how. Out of the seven Imperial Arms in the Vault, one of them was more for evacuation and disorientation than outright combat. Dimensional Formation: Shambhala. It was designed for teleportation. You can literally be in one location and then another in the blink of an eye. I don't know exactly how it works, but it's probably how the thief managed to leave."

"It can teleport? Maybe I can use it to get home…"

"I wouldn't recommend it. You already have an Imperial Arm. Trying to use another would be the equivalent of suicide. Not everyone can wield an Imperial Arm, let alone two. If you find Shambhala, destroy it. It could allow an enemy to enter the Palace undetected and allow their allies in without so much as a fight."

"Are you sure about that?"

"As much as I would like to use it for reconnaissance and supply shipment, there's too much of a risk of it falling into enemy hands if it were still intact." Delsin hesitated before nodding. Budo turned to the two guards. "Do either of you remember anything?"

"Just some kind of weird blue flash," said one of them. I don't remember anything else other than getting hit in the head."

"A blue flash? Mr. Simms, do you have any idea what that could've been?" _'More than just an idea,'_ thought Delsin.

"Can't say I do, General." Budo nodded.

"Very well, you may go, Mr. Simms. And by the way…"

"Yes sir?"

"My warning about Seryu still stands…" Delsin gulped slightly as Budo glared at him before leaving.

"…Boy am I glad she wasn't raised by him. I don't think I'd have survived under a glare like that from her." He felt Mecha-Koro bump into his hand slightly and pat the altered Imperial Arm on its 'head'. Delsin made his way back to Seryu's home and found her stripping out of her clothes in her bedroom. "Whoa!" Delsin hid behind the door as Seryu shrieked in surprise and covered her chest with her shirt. "Sorry. I didn't know you were back already."

"Esdeath let me go home early. Said we'd be making another expedition to find and kill more of the Danger Beasts." She blushed lightly as she moved to the door. "I know I said I'd respect boundaries when we started dating in case Fetch changes her mind, but that doesn't mean you can't look." Delsin coughed slightly into his hand and tried to gather his thoughts.

"I know… it's just… I want to respect your privacy. I don't exactly know when it's safe for us to be… you know, intimate."

"Traditionally, people normally wait until they're married. But given our situation…"

"Right, right…" Delsin cleared his throat again as Seryu opened the door all the way. He turned to her as she moved her shirt away from her chest. They both blushed lightly as Seryu moved closer to him.

"We can wait until we're sure about Fetch. For now…" She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Are we interrupting something," asked Sayo. They pulled away slightly and turned to her. Kurome was following a few feet behind her, casually eating her cookies. Seryu blushed dark and pushed Delsin away so she could cover her chest with her shirt again before closing the door to her room. Delsin sighed and turned to them.

"Your timing seriously sucks," he said to the girls.

"You said to find you here," said Kurome. "And I did knock. She opened the door."

"But did you have to come upstairs right now?"

"It's not as if you were busy. "

"You are infuriating. But it's not enough to make me rescind my offer." He started down the stairs as Sayo went into her own room. "Come on, We'll do this in the kitchen. You'll need some water when we're done." Delsin absorbed smoke from Gaea and led her to the kitchen before pulling out a chair for her to sit in.

"What is it you're going to do?"

"My own twist on an old remedy from my tribe."

"What was your tribe called?"

"We're called the Akomish. Generally peaceful people who pass down stories and healing techniques from our ancestors."

"I've never heard of them."

"You wouldn't have. They're not from the Empire's lands. We're a long ways away from here."

"I see. So, what's this technique you're going to do?"

"You've read my file. You know my powers allow me to heal people. I'm going to heal you."

"It can't be that simple."

"You're right. What I'm doing, is using my Smoke Heal to make you sweat out the toxins in your system while fixing whatever damage may have been done by them. Physical damage anyway. But after it's fully clear, we'll try and work on your mental damage. I'm not an expert, but I know someone who is." He stood behind her as she sat on the chair. "You're gonna have to remove your shirt. The detox will work better if my Smoke is sent directly into your body."

"Have you done this before?"

"No, I haven't. But, my girlfriend back home, and yes Seryu is aware of her, did something similar. Before we met, she was in a bad spot. Had a drug problem that ended with her killing her own brother in desperate need for a fix. She has powers similar to mine and pretty much forced herself to detox. She was alone for this. It was agony for her. You won't have to suffer nearly as much as her." Kurome removed her shirt and Delsin placed his hand on her back, between her shoulder blades as Seryu came down, fully dressed, with Koro by her feet. Delsin began using Smoke Heal, channeling his power into the cells within her body. They stayed like this for almost an hour before Delsin moved his hand away. Kurome gasped slightly as she felt like her insides were on fire. Delsin handed her some water and took her bag of cookies from her.

"I need those," she exclaimed after chugging down the water.

"No you don't. At least not as much as you normally do. How many cookies would you say you eat a day?" Kurome shrugged with a blank expression, making Delsin and Seryu sigh. "Let's say it's somewhere between 45 and 50. Start eating less and keep track of how many you eat. I don't know what kind of drug this is, but I get the feeling quitting completely would kill you, am I right?" She nodded. "Then we'll take things slow. Tortoise and the Hare style." Both girls stared at him blankly, making him sigh. "I need to tell you guys some old moral stories from home sometime… Basically patience is virtue in this situation."

"How long until the drug is gone for good?"

"Hard to say. I don't even know if we can get all of it out. But I'm not going to stop helping you." Seryu handed her back her shirt. Kurome pulled it back on before turning to him. "Best case scenario, it'll take a few weeks. Worst case, a few months. And each time it will get a little bit more painful. Are you willing to go through with that?" Kurome hesitated but nodded. "Good. Then we'll meet up again next week, give your body some time to adjust. In the off chance you can't find me, my I have a friend who can help. His method will be a bit different from mine, though."

"How different?"

"How do you feel about getting shocked?"

* * *

The next day, Delsin traveled with the Jaegers once more to eliminate what was hopefully the last of the unnatural Danger Beasts. Delsin sighed as the Danger Beast fell in front of him. It'd been smarter than the rest and had attempted to run away. Delsin chased it up a mountain and pierced its body with multiple Ice Spikes to the chest and head. "You must tell me how to do what you do some day," said Esdeath behind him. Delsin groaned and blasted the body away from them and off the mountain with a gust of icy wind.

"How about no and say we did."

"Why won't you let me share your strength? There are so many things you can do with ice that I cannot."

"I'm not about to give you pointers on my powers." Delsin absorbed a bit of ice left over from his attacks. "The last thing I need is someone like you learning what I can do." As Esdeath took a step towards him, Delsin spotted three more unnatural Danger Beasts, these more reptilian than humanoid, creeping up behind her. He lobbed a Snowbomb at them and froze them solid before absorbing concrete from Gaea and shattering them. "Why did you follow me?"

"Kurome told me about the other woman in your life besides Seryu. Fetch, I believe is her name." Delsin paused as Esdeath mentioned it.

"Dammit, Kurome," he muttered before turning to her fully. "What about her?"

"It got me to thinking." Delsin noticed a blush cross her cheeks and her normally confidant composure give way to a small amount of nervousness. "If you have room in your heart for two women, then surely…" Suddenly, she started growling and whirled around, drawing her sword. "How can there be so many interruptions on a deserted mountain?!" Delsin turned to where she was looking.

"Alright buddy. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. Come on out, slowly."

"Well shit," said the man they both noticed hiding nearby. "Now I understand why everyone is so bloody terrified of her, and why they have such an astounding admiration for you." He walked out of the shadows of a few boulders and into the moonlight, revealing a cloaked figure. "Well, now that we've dispensed with the pleasantries, I suppose it's time for me to stop playing with my little toys."

"Sounds like you know about this Danger Beasts," said Esdeath. "I'd be more than happy to torture that information out of you."

"Let me guess," said Delsin as he grabbed Esdeath's sword and absorb the metal as he aimed it away from the man. "You somehow found out about Stylish's secret labs and released these… things on the Capital?" The man frowned. "See, I knew I recognized his handywork. No one could create abominations like these without extensive resources."

"It seems you know more than you should. Pity. I was hoping to play with you two for some time, but I suppose I should deal with you now." He pulled something out of his pocket which started to glow with purple light. "Behold my Imperial Arm! Shambhala!" Delsin's eyes widened as he recognized the name from Budo's intel. He tried to take a step forward as a large, glowing, purple circle surrounded him and Esdeath.

Delsin blinked as he found himself on a tropical beach standing next to Esdeath in sunlight rather than moonlight. "Dammit, I was too slow to react." Delsin growled and shot a ball of shrapnel at the water in front of him. Esdeath looked at her sword and saw it was dulled slightly.

"So you control metal as well," she said. Delsin ignored her as he removed his jacket and beanie, wanting to avoid overheating. Delsin reabsorbed ice from Gaea and Mist Dashed up into the air to take a look around. After scoping out the area, he dropped down next to Esdeath on an ice pillar she formed to catch up with him.

"Nothing but ocean for miles. Bastard's stranded us in the middle of the ocean on the other side of the world." Delsin grunted as he felt the ground shake beneath them. Several feet out in the ocean, a form similar to Stylish's giant form rose from the water. _'Dammit, not another one. And without Regina here to deal with it. This is gonna be tough,'_ he thought. Esdeath formed several spears of ice in the air and launched them at the behemoth. _'Then again, maybe not.'_ Delsin watched as it started to get up. "Hey, that spot on it's forehead! Could be a weak point!"

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing!" from the pillar, a protrusion of ice shot at the behemoth who simply pushed it away from his head. "He's too stubborn for his own good." Delsin grabbed her sword, absorbing more of its metal before holding out his hand to the abomination. A rapid fire stream of bullet sized shrapnel soared for the poor soul controlling the behemoth against its will, littering him with holes before it dropped dead. "My! You're just filled with surprises!" Delsin felt the pillar shift and heard growling beneath them.

"One more!"

"Leave it to me, Eugene! I'll give him what he deserves!" Delsin watched as she plummeted herself down to the behemoth. A few seconds later, a massive ball of ice appeared and was hurled at the behemoth. Delsin stared at it for a few seconds, the behemoth having caught the ball. _'Holy crap! And she wants tips from me?!'_ Esdeath applied a massive amount of pressure on the attack and crushed the behemoth under the ball of ice. Delsin shook his head as he saw the sadistic smile on her face.

"I need to get off this island…"


	13. Kill The Substitute Hero

Cole groaned as he entered the Capital and checked his wrist. Delsin had been missing for about a week and a half. And the scum of the Capital had been gaining confidence in his disappearance. Seryu had come to the Night Raid base determined and not a little bit worried. She'd asked the Conduits to help with the increase in criminal activity. Najenda had quickly shut her down, stating that exposing all of the Conduits at once would be counterproductive to the efforts of the Revolutionary army, giving the enemy intel and a chance to stop the Conduits. Of course, Seryu turned to her daughter who had Mecha-Koro cough up a couple of devices before handing them to Cole.

"These generator things better work. I don't want to have to call in a Lightning Strike just to recharge." The plan was for only Cole to help out in the Capital alongside Celia and the Guard while Delsin was M.I.A.. Celia's hideout was to act as their meeting point so that there wasn't any unwanted eyes seeing unnecessary foot traffic into her home with Delsin missing. Cole made his way to where Seryu had told him the Slums District was and looked around as he adjusted his pack. "This place reminds me of the Flooded District in New Marais. Just without all the water." He started walking around, memorizing the layout of the area and spotting several good vantage points and climbing areas in case he needed to run. He also spotted a number of children actually laughing and playing with each other, wearing impossibly fancy clothes that were donated by the Emperor himself.

Cole kept walking and found himself in the Market District where Seryu and Celia were waiting for him. "Good," said Seryu. "You made it."

"Regina's generators better work, kid. I don't want to collapse from a headache from helping you guys out."

"I'm sure they will."

"How well do you trust that she's actually your daughter from my world's future?"

"How else would you explain everything she can do and knows?"

"Careful observation, being fed information. And it's not like Conduits are born being the only one with their ability. She could've easily been a mimic like Delsin and absorbed the same powers as him and Kessler could've fed her information about you guys before sending her here. It's just the kind of manipulative thing he'd do. I know because he is me."

"What purpose would he have to manipulate us," asked Celia, her face hidden behind her increasingly ever present mask. "It makes no sense. There's nothing to gain."

"There's your trust. Kessler is a lying manipulative and persuasive man. He took control of the First Son Organization when he traveled to our time. Gained their trust and used them to initiate his plan of demonizing me to harden me for the battle against the Beast. We're all just pawns to him. In the years in my new world, I've found myself having to think like him. Having to use tactics he'd use to defeat the criminals in that world. And a lot of them aren't idiots. It takes a lot to trick and manipulate them. We can't trust Kessler, and whatever plan he has, we need to be careful."

"While I agree we can't fully trust Kessler," said Seryu. "Do not rope Regina into that category." Cole sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"What is it about women being stubborn no matter the universe?"

"It's genetically encoded because men are idiots," said Celia. "Can we get moving now, please?"

"Both of you, follow me, please," said Seryu. Cole sighed and followed after the two women. It wasn't long before they made it to the Palace. Cole whistled.

"Helluva sight."

"Don't get any ideas of climbing it," said Seryu. "Not even Delsin has permission to do it."

"Dammit. Come on, that's the best climbing spot in the whole goddamn city."

"No climbing." Cole sighed as they followed her into the Palace and to the Imperial Guard Barracks. Cole spotted several soldiers being outfitted with military grade armor rather than the armor Seryu normally wore.

"What's going on?"

"Honest is worried about another attempt to enter the Palace. The Vault being broken into has him sweating." She ignored the subtle grin Celia had on her face, shaking her head slightly. She'd been against taking the Imperial Arms from the Vault but understood that limiting the Empire's firepower was the best strategy for now before the full scale fighting began.

"That doesn't seem like the kind of equipment you'd give to a guard just to protect someone. Full plate armor, broadswords. They're prepping for war."

"I assure you," said a voice in front of them. "That's not the case." Cole looked forward and spotted the man Delsin described as General Budo. "Commander Ubiquitous. Who are these people?"

"Sir," said Seryu as she saluted. "The woman is Saisei, a friend and ally of Eugene! The man's name is Cole MacGrath. He is another friend of Eugene!" Cole extended his hand to the General.

"Nice to meet you." Budo eyed him cautiously before shaking the man's hand. Instantly, Cole started absorbing some of the lightning stored up in his Imperial Arm. Budo pulled away and glared at him.

"What did you just do," he demanded.

"Relax. You know how Delsin's powers work right?" Seryu gave him a look. "Oh, calm down. He told me Budo learned his real name from that guard chick you work with. Anyway, while Delsin simply needs to absorb whatever power he wants to work with, he also needs to absorb it again to get more energy. Consider what just happened as an overpowered version. Only for me, I need it to survive." Cole sparked up his arms. "See, my powers are kind of unstable. I can barely control them on a good day."

"Control them how?"

"Well, you got a glass of water?"

"Why?"

"Demonstration." Budo led them to his office. He handed Cole a glass of water and Cole poured it over his hand. Budo watched as Cole cringed as his doused hand started arcing electricity like crazy, causing Cole a considerable amount of pain. "I have to be in a dry environment. When I bathe, it needs to be a specially filtered water without any minerals whatsoever. Always a pain to produce since it's not something you can find naturally."

"What do you mean," asked Seryu.

"Water naturally has minerals in it from the ground. These minerals are always highly absorbent of energy, especially electricity. Our bodies naturally absorb these minerals when we drink water or even eat food. There is a special process to get the filtering just right, but you'd need the right equipment."

"Needless to say, working at the docks isn't preferable to you," said Budo.

"Yep."

"I can handle it," said Celia. "Worst that happens, I can't use my powers effectively."

"Paper, right," asked Budo.

"That's right."

"Very well then. Until such time as we locate Delsin Rowe, you two will assist the Imperial Guard in apprehending the criminals."

"Yeah, yeah," said Cole. Celia simply nodded. Budo looked at Cole.

"I get the feeling I won't like you, MacGrath."

"Me and military generally don't get along on a good day. Just make sure your men don't fire at me or get in my way, or we're gonna have some problems." Seryu gulped slightly as the two masters of lightning glared at each other. _'Maybe I should've brought Reggie. At least he used to be a police officer.'_

* * *

**(Unknown location)**

Delsin gasped as he came up for air and tried to use his smoke to lift himself out of the water. He lifted himself and his cargo, a handmade net filled with fish, a few feet into the air before falling back towards the water. The surface froze into ice and Delsin landed on his back with a gasp as the air was knocked out of him. He turned to the island as Esdeath stood at the edge of the beach, her normal jacket cast away to avoid the heat leaving her in just her skirt and a light blue bra. "At least you're getting better with using your powers in water," she said with a smirk. Delsin rolled his eyes and stood up before making his way to the beach. The time they'd been stuck on this island, Delsin and Esdeath had come to an agreement. She helps him master his powers to a greater degree, he remains civil with her for the time being.

"Yeah, yeah." Needless to say, Delsin's normally rebellious personality was making civility hard for the Mimic Conduit. "Any luck with the water catch basin?"

"I still don't understand why you won't let me use my ice, or yours for that matter."

"Because mine evaporates, it doesn't melt. Yours is created by whatever Danger Beast's blood you drank. Sorry if I feel like drinking water from that ice would be counter productive to my personal health, you know, me being human and all."

"I am human as well."

"And you bonded with an insane Danger Beast that can drive lesser people to madness. Your word doesn't mean anything in that regard." Esdeath pouted and Delsin fire a Smoke Shot at their collection of dried sticks and dead leaves to act as a fireplace. He absorbed smoke from Gaea, drawing Esdeath's attention.

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"I've been paying attention to the way you absorb your elements to access your powers. And I've noticed whenever you use your smoke, you absorb it more often than the other elements. Why is that?"

"Habit."

"That's it?"

"When I first got my power, I used too much too quickly. Ran out far too often. I had to absorb it each time. Kind of a bitch without smokestacks nearby. Took me a while before I learned more control. But the habit stuck." Esdeath eyed him suspiciously but accepted his explanation. "I'm going to check on that symbol. Cook the fish please." Delsin walked towards the symbol that was etched into the sand where they had arrived.

When they struck up their deal, Esdeath had demanded he tell her every power he had available to him. Reluctantly, Delsin agreed. If Esdeath could come up with ways for him to better his powers without the need of Blast Cores or Shards, it was worth giving up the powers he could access in this world. When they struck their deal, Esdeath investigated where they arrived on the island. She found a large etching in the sandstone they arrived on. Her initial thought was that it was created by their attacker's Imperial Arm. Her second thought was Delsin could potentially power it with his lightning, forcing them either back to the mountain they came from, or right to the man who attacked him. Personally, she wished for the latter as it would mean revenge for interrupting her talk with Delsin on the mountain.

Delsin went to the circle and looked around, trying to see if any footprints had been left besides theirs. Delsin nodded and climbed a tree before looking at his hand. The markings had started appearing on his palm now whenever he switched to Smoke. Even when absorbing more of it, the markings weren't receding anymore. _'Dammit. The curse is starting to spread. If this keeps up, I can kiss Smoke goodbye forever.'_ Delsin clutched his hand and sighed. _'I should ask Regina about my powers when I get back.'_ Delsin looked around and spotted a boar looking for food beneath him. Delsin sighed and let it go. They had enough food for the day, no reason to kill the boar just yet.

The week and a half had been illuminating for Delsin. He learned about Esdeath's intelligence. She'd surmised they were a few miles southeast of the Capital based on the position of the stars on their first night on the island. He'd also learned about her past. How her father raised her and how it was ingrained into her way of thinking. He put himself in her father's shoes, trying to think along the same lines as him while imagining Regina in Esdeath's position. He drew one conclusion. _'Esdeath needs something to change her mindset. Needs someone to fight for and protect, learn how strength can't always be a defining aspect of life. Too bad Eugene's not here. He'd probably whip up some cool simulation where Esdeath is put into that kind of situation.'_ Delsin thought for a second before he realized one important fact. He didn't need Eugene for this. _Wait. Regina's got the same power. Maybe she can do it. Hell, maybe I can!'_

As Delsin made his way back to the camp, absorbing Lightning from Gaea as he did, he thought he could try and speak with her about her way of thinking and its flaws, try and reason with her before resulting to tricks. He knew her past. He knew about her interaction with her Imperial Arm, Demon's Extract. Maybe he could get her to see how deranged her way of life would be. When he got back to camp, he spotted Esdeath studying the gas grenades in his jacket pocket. He snatched the jacket away, but she moved aside as he tried grabbing the grenade in her hands, sending his face into her bust. He scrambled away; cheeks red as he blushed. Esdeath had a light blush on her cheeks from the contact as she turned to grenade over in her hand. "What is 'neon'?"

"It's a gas. I'd like that back please."

"Is it poisonous?"

"No."

"Then why do you have this?"

"It's for emergencies." He snatched the grenade from her. "Neon is what I learned from Fetch. I don't use it because it requires specific circumstances to use."

"Like what?"

"Not saying."

"And why is that?"

"Because it's special to me and her. I'm not letting anyone else know about it if I can help it."

"Can I at least see it?"

"No. I have a limited supply. Like I said, I only use it in emergencies."

"Fine." She tended to the fish as they cooked over the fire, scales littering the sand behind her from where she descaled them with her sword. Delsin stuffed the grenade back into his jacket and sighed as he sat on a log in front of her and the fire. Delsin stared into the flames, memories of a time before he discovered her was a Conduit. Before Augustine, the DUP and Seattle. A time when his parents were alive. His father had taught him some of the Akomish traditions that were still practiced by the tribe. Thanking the spirits for their harvests and for bountiful hunts, asking them for help in troubling times. Delsin always paid attention to them.

"Can I talk to you about something?"

"Of course, Eugene."

"It's Delsin, actually. Delsin Rowe. Eugene is my friend's name. I used it as an alias in case some enemies of mine wound up in the same area as me."

"So you've been lying to the Guard from the start?"

"Not the whole time. Budo was told a few months ago. Seryu knew. Shortly after we started working together I told her. Only one other person in the Guard knows besides them and you. Ayumi."

"Why decide to tell me?"

"Because if we're getting off this island, we need cooperation from both sides. That requires trust. I need to trust you. And you need to trust me."

"I do trust you."

"Enough to leave me alone? Enough to try stop your advances?"

"But I…"

"What you're feeling isn't love. If anything it's just infatuation. Love at first sight doesn't happen. Love takes time to grow. Look at me and Seryu. We didn't start dating right away. It was months before either of us admitted we actually had feelings for each other. And now look at us."

"I've seen how close you two are. How did you get that close?"

"Any good relationship starts as the couple being friends and equals. From there, things need to build naturally. You can't force things to work for you. The world doesn't work like that. And by the way, your father was a dumbass."

"How so?"

"'The weak exist to feed the strong?' 'It's eat or be eaten?' The civilized world doesn't work that way."

"Sure it does, just look at the Capital. The weak suffer because they lack the strength to survive."

"That's where you're wrong. When I look at the Capital, you know what I see? The strong continue to fight to survive despite the odds being against them. Those children in the Slums, they've had to go a long time without food and water, living with the fear of the slavers and extortionists. I've been helping them survive. There is a brother and sister in there 8 and 5 years respectively. The brother always puts on a brave face and protects his sister, even from me. Those kids are stronger than most adults I know because they keep pushing through. Meanwhile the supposed 'strong' hide away in their homes, let themselves get fat and lazy while their dogs, no offense, deal with whatever annoyance is nearby. No, the weak are ruling this world while the strong struggle to find a decent meal.

"I know you know Honest is a week fool. A coward. The strong are only strong when things go in their favor. When the weak gang up on them, the playing field is even. You told me your father was only taken down by the Northern Tribe when they resorted to underhanded tactics against a superior foe. The same thing your tribe did against Danger Beasts."

"I killed them by myself."

"You killed children as a child by yourself. I have no doubt your tribe used numbers and stealth tactics to take down the more dangerous Danger Beasts. They had to, to survive, not only the hunt but for their families and your tribe to get food to eat. I'm sure you're guilty of that as well. Three things separate us from animals. Opposable thumbs, problem solving, and crafting tools. This is how we've formed society. How we make the weapons you use to kill people and Danger Beasts. We don't need to follow the eat or be eaten way of life anymore. There's agriculture, farming animals. Hunting became obsolete in the path of progress." _'Who knew Reggie keeping me awake in history would pay off?'_

Esdeath glared at him before standing up and walking away. "And now I've made her mad. Way to go, Delsin." The Mimic Conduit placed his head on his jacket and fell asleep. Esdeath wandered into the island's jungle and killed a boar that crossed her path.

**(Capital-Slums District)**

Cole let out an Ionic Freeze and stopped some would be slavers in their tracks. People in the Slums looked around as they were left free on a frozen street as a few frozen criminals were stuck in various poses of men running for their lives. Ayumi and Seryu blinked as they saw his power and he slid down to them. "Let's see Delsin do that, ladies." He walked passed them and Ayumi turned to Seryu as Cole knocked out the criminals.

"He scares me," said the new Sergeant, having been promoted when Seryu was.

"I think that's fair. I don't even think Esdeath could specifically target people with her powers."

"Would she even care to?"

"Good point." They followed after Cole and looked around at the solid ice as people opened their doors to see what happened. One of the criminals broke free of the ice and charged at Cole who had his back to the man as he knocked out one of the man's partners.

"Mr. MacGrath, watch out!" Ayumi's warning came too late as a dagger embedded into Cole's side. Cole groaned and grabbed his Amp before knocking the man away. He tossed the knife away and tackled the man to the ground. Seryu watched as Cole's lightning turned red and he fought with the man, lightning arcing from his hand to the man's face. Cole proved stronger and placed his palm on the man's forehead. Seryu and Ayumi watched with pale faces as the man screamed in agony before going still. Cole stood up, his wound fully healed and cracked his neck.

"Thanks for the heads up. But I had it handled."

"What did you do," asked Seryu.

"Brains work on bioelectricity to make you feel pain, move your muscles, and use your other senses as well. I just absorbed his bioelectricity to heal myself. Not my proudest ability, but a handy one when it's life or death." Cole walked away and Seryu turned to Ayumi.

"Ok, now he scares me." Cole sighed as he stood on top of the cart as they made their way back to the Palace with their captured quarry. They spotted Celia there already, receiving a bag of gold for the people she captured at the Docks. She and Budo turned to them, Budo noticing the haunted looks on their faces.

"What happened," asked the general.

"Mr. MacGrath demonstrated exactly what his powers can do," said Ayumi.

"Meaning?"

"Had to drain the asshole who stabbed me to heal the wound."

"You what?"

"Drained the electricity in his brain to heal myself. Technically it was a kill in self-defense." Budo stared at him before turning to Seryu and saw her nodding with a nervous look. Budo turned to Cole.

"You should have told me you could do such a thing."

"Hey, it's not something I'm proud of. I only use it as a last resort."

"How often do you need to recharge, Mr. MacGrath?"

"If I don't use my powers, about a month and a half. With constant usage, two weeks. That's why I normally don't stick around cities. But I owed the kid a favor, that's why I'm here." Cole squared up to the general as Budo glared at him.

"I better not hear of you doing this ever again, MacGrath."

"What, you'd prefer I rain down lightning in the middle of the Capital? I'm sure the complaints would be through the roof. I'm just making your job easier, General."

"MacGrath," said Celia. "That's enough. We've done our job here today." She turned to Budo. "We'll make our leave, General Budo, and be ready for your call tomorrow." Budo watched as 'Saisei' and Cole left the Palace grounds before turning to Seryu.

"Commander Ubiquitous, get these men to the dungeon and write your report about what exactly happened."

"Yes, sir," said Seryu with a salute. She glanced at Cole and Celia before getting her men to bring the slavers to the dungeon. Celia walked beside Cole as they made their way to the Market District.

"You and I both know that was unnecessary," she said to the Lightning Conduit.

"It was necessary. I used up an Ionic Charge to capture them. A tricked I learned back home was how to convert bioelectricity into an Ionic Charge by making my anger convert my lightning from blue to red. It becomes more violent, but the action becomes more potent than if I were to stick with blue. It's more violent but absorbing bioelectricity in that state now has the added bonus of giving me an Ionic Charge. Before, I had to wait for a massive lightning storm or take it off a militia member back in New Marais."

"It could've waited."

"Not in this place. War could start at any time. When that happens, I need to make sure none of the civilians get hurt. For that, I need an Ionic Charge."

"You think the people are still going to side with the Revolutionary Army?"

"Delsin may have gotten the Guard to start helping people more by outing the more corrupt members, but with Honest's taxes and strangle hold on their homes, food, and water, they're still angry with the current regime. Wouldn't surprise me if the Revolutionary Army sometime in the near future orders Najenda to keep Delsin from helping the citizens. Don't see that going over well."

"Delsin will never go for it."

"Neither will I. When it comes down to it, there's always going to be evil on any side. Someone high in rank in the Revolutionary Army may be willing to use the people in the Capital to gain power for himself, hell it could even be more than one. That's the way these things always go."

"We're being followed."

"You sure?"

"I'm a trained killer and stalker. I know when someone is following me. 8 feet behind us."

"Then let's trap them." Cole turned a corner, Celia following close behind as they went down an alleyway. Celia Papertrailed up a wall as Cole turned to the entrance to the alley. A man garbed in black and wearing a domino mask froze as he spotted Cole waiting for him but not the girl he was with. He reached for his hidden weapon only to stop as he felt something press against his neck.

"Don't move. Move and I make sure my mask is the last thing you see," Celia told the man. Cole walked over and removed all metal he felt on their shadow. He had three hidden blades, two of them daggers from his boots, one a poison-tipped blade in his glove. Celia turned to Cole. "He may have implants given to him by Stylish. Stay on guard."

"Right." Cole stared right into the man's eyes. "So, you're gonna tell us who you are, who's orders you're following, and why we shouldn't kill you."

"Go to hell," said the man. "I've got orders to kill you. You're friends of the Empire. You need to be killed."

"Wait," said Celia. "Are you with the Revolutionary Army?"

"I-I'm not telling you shit." Cole sighed and gestured for Celia to let him go. She tossed him to the side and scrambled for his daggers before holding them in a defensive stance.

"Would you relax," asked Cole. "If you're Revolutionary Army, we've got no beef with you. Just get out of here."

"You're helping out the Empire!"

"We're helping out the people, dumbshit. We've got no direct affiliation with the Empire, nor do we have a side in your damned war. Leave us alone before I shock you silly, alright?" The man glared at Cole but hesitated as he saw the man's arms spark up. He stuffed his daggers back in his boot, grabbed his glove and ran off. "Obviously, someone in the Revolutionary Army wants us, and most likely Delsin as well, dead. As if things weren't insane enough." Celia watched the man leave before looking around the street, fully on guard.

"We should leave," she said.

"Alright then." As Cole walked on ahead, Celia looked behind them at a rift that had opened up above them. She watched as a faint yell of anger and frustration came through the distorted rift before it closed. Silently, Celia marked the area she'd spotted it at and followed after Cole.


	14. Kill The Alternate Empire

Cole blasted a slaver in the back and restrained him to the ground before blocking a strike from a sword from his partner. "Nice try, bud," said the Electric Man. He deflected the sword before slamming the Amp into the slaver and knocking him a few feet back and into Koro's waiting arms. Koro grabbed hold of the man and growled in his face, scaring the man into submission. "Good dog. Least Seryu taught you fetch. Drop him." Koro whined at Cole. "Drop him…." Koro complied and Cole restrained the man before patting Koro on the head. "Good dog. Too bad Thor's not as compliant as you. Then again, Thor's still a pup. No idea how old you are."

"Over a thousand," said Seryu as she walked over, carrying a makeshift stretcher with Celia behind her, a man lying on top of it. "Is it just me, or are there more trained guys starting to come out of the woodworks?"

"Par for the course. Means someone is organizing the criminals and giving them decent training. Unlike the normal thugs you're used to fighting, these guys will be more experienced. I've seen this kind of thing back home. You've got a new kingpin on the streets."

"A kingpin?"

"Criminal leader covering multiple criminal activities," said Celia. "Back home it'd be drugs, weapons, prostitution."

"Here, it'd include slavery," said Cole.

"Is there any way to stop people like that," asked Seryu.

"Get rid of free will. Back in my new home, I encountered what's known as a Hive Mind. Basically this thing took control of people, all of them had no mind of their own. All minds were linked to whatever it was. It saw through all of them, heard what they heard. It managed to take over an entire town. Killed it and everyone it was linked to recalled everything that it told them to do. The whole town had no crime, but it also had no originality. No art, no creativity, no sense of individuality. You just exist. You don't live."

"That sounds…"

"Empty," said Celia. Ayumi ran over and turned to Cole.

"Mr. MacGrath," she shouted. "I lost one of them."

"Alright, on it. Get these guys in a cart." Cole climbed to the rooftops and took off for where Ayumi came from. Cole spotted a man running full speed for a drainage basin and Cole cursed before using a Lightning Tether to land in front of the man and slammed the Amp into his chest. The man was thrown to the ground and Cole restrained him to the ground. "Alright, buddy. You're going away for a long time." He removed the man's hood and blinked in surprise. "Aren't you that kid working with the Revolution?"

"I'm on a mission. My superior is worried the public won't side with the Revolution. He wants more people angry at the guard for not saving their families."

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard! You're enslaving people in the name of the Revolution?! This is not a greater good thing, kid! I let you go last time after you tried to kill me because I thought you were just a misguided punk. But now, I see you're more than misguided. You're being manipulated into doing something bad for a cause that's supposedly in everyone's best interests."

"General Oda has the Empire's best wishes at heart! He's a good man!"

"A 'good man' wouldn't want to invoke fear just to get people on his side." **(*cough* *cough*)** "A good man would do his damndest to make things better for the people. This General Oda you're following doesn't sound like a good man. He sounds like a power hungry asshole. Let me give you a hint if things are good or bad. If you get a bad feeling in your gut when you're ordered to do something, it's generally a bad thing." Cole absorbed the restraints. "Get out of here. And seriously rethink following this Oda. I never caught you. Oh yeah, ditch the jacket, kid. The guard spotted you as you ran." He nodded and headed for the basin, losing the jacket in the water.

Cole sighed and stood at the edge of the water before using the amp to retrieve the jacket as Ayumi and Seryu ran over. "What happened," asked Seryu.

"Bastard got away. Took off in the water looks like." He extended the jacket to them. "Evidence."

"Dammit," said Ayumi. "Sorry, Commander."

"It's fine," said Seryu. "We can't always catch them right away. We'll find him. Go help Saisei load the others into the cart while I get Mr. MacGrath's statement." Ayumi nodded and ran off. Seryu turned to Cole when Ayumi was out of earshot. "What happened?"

"Kid was Revolution."

"What?"

"Following the orders of General Oda."

"Why would a leader of the Revolution do this?"

"There's always bad people on either side, no matter how noble their cause might seem." He turned to her. "Remember that, kid. Delsin may have you thinking everyone can be redeemed, but that's not the case. Trust me, I've been at this longer than he has."

"Delsin has a good heart. He sees the best in people."

"It's called being young and naïve, kid." Cole rolled his shoulder. "So far, kid's got a perfect track record of getting people to change their ways. But sooner or later, he'll realize that won't always be the case."

"Do you think he's wrong?"

"I think he's hopeful. Kid's got skill, and like you said a good heart. But Delsin will eventually meet someone he can't change. Someone that's reproachable. Someone that will push him far past his limit. For me, it was a few people. Kessler, Sasha, Bertrand, a few people in my new home. It just gets worse with every new person. You start losing faith in people."

"That's why he's got me, Akame and Fetch. We'll be there when he does meet someone like that."

"Looks like you're as naïve as he is. If Fetch is anything like him, you guys were meant for each other."

"Do you really think Delsin will meet his Kessler?"

"Without a doubt in my mind. Especially in this place. Come on, let's head back." Seryu nodded and followed Cole back to the cart.

* * *

**(Unknown location)**

Delsin blocked a barrage of icicles from Esdeath, his body encased in concrete. A month had passed since Delsin and Esdeath had been stranded. As promised, Esdeath had helped Delsin better his control over his available powers. Little had been said by Esdeath after Delsin gave her his opinion of her father, clan and her way of thinking that didn't involve training Delsin so they could leave the island. Esdeath easily could've made a bridge of ice, but the chances of her finding the man who trapped them were slim with that. She wanted to kill him for thinking he could trap her and leave her to die without a fight.

"You're too slow in that! Slim it down!"

"I'm working on it!"

"Try harder!" She slammed an ice axe down on Delsin. Delsin held up his arms to block and was knocked onto his back as the armor shattered. He groaned as Esdeath slammed the heel of her boot into his chest. "You need to work on that."

"I said I'm trying." Delsin moved her boot off of him and stood up. "I still think a slimmer armor is counterproductive. The massive bulk protects me from a lot of damage."

"At the cost of speed and mobility. Making the armor more form fitting would allow you full speed."

"At half the protection. Feels like an unnecessary trade off."

"It's more effective in a battle."

"I'm plenty effective on my own."

"You constantly landing on your ass says otherwise."

"I'm trying not to kill you. I'm holding back."

"And that's why you keep losing. Come at me like you plan to kill me."

"I don't kill." Delsin blocked a kick from her before absorbing the metal from her sword completely.

"Then you're weak!"

"I'm weak because I don't kill people?!" Delsin lobbed a ball of shrapnel into the air. Esdeath rolled to the side only to find herself trapped by metal restraints from Delsin as the ball dropped without detonating. "Look at all the power I have." Delsin encased her body from the chest down in metal. "Smoke, Paper, Concrete, Ice, Lightning. I have all this power at my fingertips. I could easily wipe out the entire Capital, hell even the entire Empire if I wanted to. But I don't. Because those are the actions of a weaker man. Strength doesn't mean anything if you let it define you. Restraining yourself from using that strength on a regular basis is real strength." He knelt next to her. "I don't kill. I don't use my powers to oppress. I'm not a Skulled-Bird." Delsin released her and went to their campfire. Esdeath glared at him slightly before sighing and walking over to the fire, sitting across from him.

"What's a Skulled-Bird?"

"It's an old Akomish folktale." Delsin picked up a stick and drew a picture in the sand facing Esdeath. To Esdeath, it appeared to be a two headed bird. "The legend speaks of twin spirits in the form of birds. Both were powerful and represented the two halves of a man's soul." Delsin absorbed Ice and frosted over the left half of the bird. "The blue feathered bird represented peace, good will, love, and protection." Delsin absorbed Smoke from the fire and sprayed the right half. "The red feathered bird represented war, violence, anger, hate, and death. Throughout life, we make choices that feeds the spirits watching over us. With enough time, patience, and the correct choices, your soul would represent one of the birds, and give it strength. I never gave it much thought until I got my powers. Then I started seeing a real representation of the bird within me. In my smoke."

Delsin formed the smoke along his arm. "See how its embers are almost white. That's the blue bird." Delsin focused his anger, turning the smoke black and red. "This is the red bird. As each bird grows stronger, they begin to overpower their brother. If the red bird overwhelms the blue bird, it devours its brother. It's head begins to distort. The feathers fall off and its skull becomes more prevalent. It becomes an embodiment of death. A Skulled-Bird. This represents the soul of the heartless murderers. Those with little remorse for those they kill who have no concept of love. If the blue bird overcomes the red bird, the red bird flees, being shown mercy. The blue birds feathers start changing, turning as white as the clouds it flies so close to and its size grows considerably until it becomes an eagle, watching over the mortal world for its brother in case he ever decides to return.

"People with powers like mine are somewhat common in my home. Their powers reflect their actions, becoming darker or lighter, or more passive or violent depending on their actions and mindset. It's something I'd been noticing before I arrived here. If you were to somehow get a power like these, I don't think they'd be as dark as most people might think. Yes, you're ruthless, seemingly uncaring, and maybe just a little crazy. But I've heard how you treat your subordinates. You care for them. Hell, I saw it when you stepped aside so as not to hurt Seryu. And if what you feel for me really is love, then you're not beyond changing. Zanku, I think he was the closest I've ever met to someone who could be described as a Skulled-Bird. He was a psychopath, driven mad by, I'm guessing that Imperial Arm he stole."

Delsin tossed the stick into the fire and stared into it as Esdeath stared at him. She watched his arm turn back to its normal hue before returning to normal. Esdeath was never one for religious beliefs. She always believed it to be a tool used by the weak to forget about how worthless their lives are in the grand scheme of things. But the way Delsin spoke, the surety of it, the smoke he used to demonstrate. Esdeath couldn't put the thought he might have a point aside. "Is that why you act the way you do?"

"Partly. I'm just doing what any decent human being should do. It's out of the kindness of my heart, not some sense of self-worth, personal gain, or feeling of euphoria. I do the things I do because someone needs to do it. Because someone with powers like mine needs to be better than those who would abuse it. The old story helps me realize this is what I was meant to do. Be a hero to those who needed it. A beacon of hope in this dark world." _'And other's like it.'_ Delsin stared into the flames once more and almost missed the rift that opened up nearby.

"Well spoken, Delsin," said Kessler. Delsin stood up and turned to the rift as Esdeath stood on edge.

"Kessler. What the hell?"

"You need to see something, Delsin. Come quickly." The rift opened wider and Delsin jumped through, Esdeath close behind. They arrived in the Capital, only to see it was in ruins, the Gilded District, home of the nobles and the entrance to the Palace was a crater along with some of the Market and a small portion of the Slums.

"What happened here," demanded Esdeath.

"This is an alternate timeline. One where Dr. Stylish detonated the Ray Sphere within Seryu." Delsin stared wide-eyed at the crater. He'd only seen the crater in Empire City in pictures, seeing a similar one was something else.

"Kessler," said Delsin. "Seryu did she…" Kessler stayed silent within the rift. Esdeath turned to Delsin and saw tears form in his eyes. He shook himself. "Not the Seryu you know. Snap out of it, D." An ungodly roar sounded nearby.

"A Danger Beast," exclaimed Esdeath. "In the Capital?!"

"Wrong kind of Beast," said a familiar voice behind them. Delsin and Esdeath turned around to find another version of Esdeath. She had scars lining her arms and shoulder length hair rather than the waist length of the original Esdeath.

"Esdeath," asked Delsin. She turned to him, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Delsin…" Delsin stood stock still as Alternate Esdeath lunged forward and hugged him. Original Esdeath stared at the sight, both jealous and intrigued. Alternate Esdeath composed herself and sighed. "Sorry. It's been hard since the Blast. I forgot you weren't _my_ Delsin."

"Esdeath, what happened."

"The traitor Stylish happened. He came back after capturing you and claimed you were a member of Night Raid. Seryu and Budo had conducted an investigation beforehand and declared Stylish had amassed an army to threaten the Empire. Seryu told everyone Stylish most likely made up the story of you being with Night Raid to cover his tracks. Budo had several men apprehend Stylish at which point, Stylish spoke a command. Majority of the Imperial Guard were eliminated, and Seryu was caught in the epicenter. Stylish was declared dead along with General Budo. I was lucky enough to survive the blast at the time."

"At the time," asked Original Esdeath.

"Delsin survived as well, but he was weakened. His powers had been affected by the blast and he had somehow merged with Gaea. The same thing happened with me and Demon's Extract." Alternate Esdeath sighed. "Then the trouble came. With the Capital in disarray, and the gates busted open, the Revolutionary Army stormed the Capital in a siege. Delsin did his best to limit the casualties, but his new power was unstable. Black marks similar in nature to the victims of Murasame started appearing on his body the more he used them. Delsin was able to eliminate some of the Revolutionaries who were threatening some of the people in the Market and found more people with powers. He called them and us Conduits. He copied their powers and was able to hold off whatever was happening to him for a while. Then came the Beast. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. It was like an Imperial Arm fully possessed a user and then… became pure energy. Delsin led a fight against it. But the constant use of his powers… he was weakened. The Beast… devoured is the only thing I can think of to describe what happened."

"I'm dead," asked Delsin. Alternate Esdeath nodded.

"Now, the Beast randomly appears out of nowhere. Myself and the other Conduits haven't been able to track it, let alone come up with a way to kill it."

"What about Makoto?"

"The Emperor has been locked away in the Palace for the time being. Honest ordered that be the case after the Blast."

"Hold on," said Original Esdeath. "You said I-we… merged with Demon's Extract. We already did that."

"No, we channeled it. We didn't merge with it. The Blast, it made me stronger. I was able to overcome the Danger Beast Demon's Extract was turning me into. When I did… I felt something I'd never felt before. Delsin described it as remorse. He thought the Blast gave me a little bit of humanity I'd been lacking for a long time after overcoming Demon's Extract." Esdeath formed an ice ball in her hand. Delsin noticed it was a very dark grey, almost black.

"Well, now I know how Ice is affected by Karmic State." Alternate Esdeath chuckled darkly.

"_He_ said the same thing."

"Delsin," shouted Kessler. Delsin and Original Esdeath turned to the rift. "Get out of there! He's loose!" Delsin paled as another rift opened far away in the distance. Delsin noticed a single figure leave the rift. He couldn't make out what they looked like across the massive crater as the rift it came through closed. Behind the crater this world's Beast leapt into the air and started descending to the figure. Alternate Esdeath growled and propelled herself forward by emitting ice from her hands and hovering just off the ground, shooting forward towards both Beasts. "I've been providing as much help here as I could, getting this world's Conduits out of danger after a fight with the Beast. I need to get you two out of here quickly."

"He's right there," said Delsin. "I can end this here!" Delsin looked at this world's Beast and went wide-eyed. "No… is that…"

"Delsin," asked Original Esdeath. "What's wrong?"

"It's Koro… The Beast of this world is Koro…"

"Not Koro," said Kessler. "It's Seryu." Delsin turned to the rift in shock. "She was caught up in the blast, much like John White. Whatever Stylish did to complete the Ray Sphere, it must've used an Imperial arm as a catalyst because Seryu and Koro merged together. And Seryu subsequently lost her mind." Hearing the Seryu-Beast roar, Delsin turned to the ensuing fight and turned pale. Kessler's Beast roared out and a massive hole was torn through the Seryu-Beast as Alternate Esdeath launched a volley of Ice Spears at the two Beasts.

"Seryu!" Kessler's Beast turned to Delsin, hearing his scream. He raised his hand, stopping the Ice Spears in the air before sending them towards Delsin and Original Esdeath. Delsin roared in anger, his Smoke coming off his arms in black and red waves as he shot towards the Beast, evading the Ice Spears.

"Stop him!" Original Esdeath ignored the strange voice and watched Delsin and the supposed alternate version of herself charge at the Beast. Before he could get to it, a rift opened in front of Delsin, making him disappear before getting to the Beast.

Esdeath watched her counterpart propel at the best and form a massive blade of ice before swinging. The Beast simply raised his hand and shattered it, sending Alternate Esdeath flying away as a little girl ran from hiding and went to her side. Original Esdeath watched with intrigue as the child shook her counterpart's shoulders until she started moving. The Beast slowly advanced towards them. Alternate Esdeath hugged the girl to her and formed a dome of ice around them. The Beast roared and the dome shattered instantly. Esdeath felt something in her lurch at the sight of the girl and her counterpart lying motionless at the feet of the Beast.

Before getting pulled towards the rift behind her, she noticed the Beast slowly turn to her. Blue eyes met dark red and for once in her life, Esdeath felt something she'd only seen in the eyes of those she'd killed. Never in her entire life had she experienced this emotion before, much like love or infatuation as Delsin tried explaining to her. Esdeath had never experienced it before but had seen the look of it on the faces and in the eyes of her prey, man and beast alike. She may not be able to tell the difference of love and infatuation, but there was no mistaking this emotion. For the first time in her life, General Esdeath of the Imperial Army felt true, unbridled fear.

Delsin growled as he found himself back on the island and turned to the rift. "Send me back there! I have to do something!"

"I have to close off that world before he can get through! There's nothing you can do about it, Delsin!"

"Why did you send me there in the first place!"

"You needed to see the scope of what would happen if another Beast is capable of if the Ray Sphere in this world goes off!"

"It's taken care of."

"No it isn't. A man intercepted the disposal unit. The man who trapped you two on this island has the Ray Sphere in his possession." Delsin didn't even register that Esdeath had returned.

"What do you mean?"

"He used that Imperial Arm of his to intercept the disposal unit and take the Ray Sphere."

"So what happened there could happen here?!"

"If you don't stop him in time, yes."

"Well where is he?!"

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?!"

"I mean that damned thing somehow makes me tracking him waste too much energy. That's how the Beast got loose!"

"Delsin," said Esdeath. "I think it's time you explain. Everything." Delsin groaned and sighed.

"To be honest, I don't even know where to start."

* * *

**(Revolutionary Army Headquarters)**

Cole and Najenda entered the secret base and Cole immediately felt eyes following him as they entered. "Ever feel like you've just entered the lion's den?"

"You're the one who wanted to come here," said Najenda.

"Yeah, because that General Oda guy has a lot of explaining to do, sending men to try and kill me. Sending the same man to try and enslave the downtrodden people in the Slums? He's some piece of work."

"On this we agree. Me and General Oda disagree constantly on how we should fight this war."

"He's not treating this like a war. He's acting like a goddamn gang leader I took down back home."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm just gonna have a chat with the good general."

"Does this chat include a million volts of lightning?"

"Only if he tries killing me again."

"MacGrath…"

"Would you relax? I swear, you're worse than my wife sometimes."

"Why do you never speak about her that much?"

"Hardly seems like I need to. I'm not here to be social. I'm here to finish what Kessler started years ago."

"You know only Delsin, Reggie and Regina trust you, right? The rest of us…."

"Are put off by my mannerisms, way of thinking and methods. I've noticed and don't care. I've gone my whole life not giving a fuck about who likes me. That sentiment grew after Empire City. Since then, I've been working solo with only a few people acting as support. I don't care if you guys like me or not. I just want to finish this off and head home to my family."

"Are you really not going back with Delsin and the others?"

"Back there, I'm proclaimed dead. It's not my home, not anymore. Besides, my wife is just enough of a bitch to track me down and kill me for abandoning her and our daughter."

"You call your wife a bitch?"

"Only when she's pissed. And it doesn't take much to piss her off." Cole and Najenda entered the command tent and found a few of the Revolutionary generals discussing how best to take the Capital when the time finally comes for the final push.

"Storming the city is one thing," said one of the generals. "Getting into the Palace is another thing."

"That's what my team is for," said Najenda. They turned to the newcomers. A man with black hair and brown eyes glared slightly at them.

"General Najenda," he said. "How good of you to join us. And I see you've brought… him."

"General Oda, I presume," said Cole. He looked the man up and down. He stood at 5'8" and had a strong build. He wore armor that seemed immaculate, not a scratch on it. On his back was a large great sword and on the table in front of him a helmet and a map of the Capital. "Well, that's comforting. Armor that's never seen combat. An oversized sword that means you're overcompensating for something, if I had to guess, it'd be courage. Or something a little more obvious." Oda glared at the Conduit.

"Cole MacGrath. Last I checked, you weren't a general in the Revolution. There's no reason for you to be here."

"Last I checked, I was helping your little revolution out of the goodness of my heart. And I find myself being targeted by a man who claims to work for you. Said you ordered him to kill me. Then I encounter the same man a month later working with slavers, again under your orders."

"And who pray tell was that?"

"Him." Cole pointed to the boy who he'd met twice. He jumped slightly at being called out and tried hiding behind the shield he was holding as he guarded the entrance. Oda glared at him slightly before turning to Cole, only to find the Amp around his neck.

"Cole," shouted Najenda.

"You're gonna answer my question, bub. Or I'm gonna fry your brain like an egg. Why are you trying to have me killed. And Delsin, more than likely." Oda grunted.

"The people of the Capital are starting to accept the Imperial Guard. Instead of siding with us when the siege begins, they'll side with the Guard. We need them miserable. We need them blaming the guard again."

"And killing us is gonna achieve that?"

"Killing the 'Saviors' of the Capital and blaming it on the Imperial Guard will achieve that."

"And you send a flunky with no hope of standing against us to do that? Either you're just throwing his life away, or you want the Revolutionary Army to turn on us as well if things go your way."

"Cole, lower your weapon," said Najenda. Cole ignored her and the other generals as they aimed their weapons at him.

"Let me get one thing straight, Oda. Try anything underhanded again, I'll show you why I'm called a Demon back where I'm originally from." He removed the Amp and left the tent. Cole waited on the edge of the camp for Najenda to complete her talks with the other generals. The boy walked over to him.

"M-Mr. MacGrath?"

"What do you want, kid?"

"I came to say…" Cole glanced at him as he bowed low. "I'm sorry!" Cole shook his head.

"A simple apology isn't gonna cut it kid. Despite what you might think, Oda isn't a good man. If he's willing to use the people of the Slums to better his position, he's no better than the pigs in silk called nobles in the Capital."

"General Oda is doing what's best for the Empire!"

"Wake up!" Cole punched him, knocking him to the ground. "If he was truly doing what was best for the Empire, he wouldn't be subjugating the people to misery. He's in this for one person. Himself. The Revolution just coincides with his desires." Cole left the camp and found several men wearing armor with a similar sigil to Oda's surrounding him. "Let me guess. Oda's men, huh?" Cole sighed as the men said nothing and raised their weapons, aiming them towards Cole. "Alright, let's get this over with." Cole zapped one of the men and watched as his lightning arced to each of the other men in gold armor. "Science lesson one. Never bring golden armor against a man who controls electricity. That's asking for trouble."

When Najenda arrived at the scene, she saw Cole sitting over the men as they struggled against their Arc Restraints. "Do I want to know?"

"Oda's guys want me dead. That's about the sum of it. Delsin better get back fast. I may end up killing these guys before you even get a chance to attack."


	15. Kill The Return

"Cole MacGrath," shouted a voice in the distance. Cole groaned as he placed a crate down on a cart and turned to the people shouting at him. Merchants cleared the street as Cole faced multiple men wielding stone hammers and wearing leather armor.

"Oh, look at that. Your wising up, huh? Guess letting you live was a bad idea last time. I won't make the same mistake twice."

"You won't survive this fight, MacGrath."

"See, that's where you and I disagree. For example." Cole let loose an Ionic Freeze and froze Oda's men solid. "You don't know everything I can do." Cole knocked out three of the men. As he went to deal with the last one, a stream of fire hit him in the chest, knocking him back. Cole groaned and looked up at the man as a stone emitted flames from his hand.

"We're well aware of your ice powers, MacGrath. General Oda gave me the perfect counter to you. Meet Flame Emperor: Ifrit!" Cole rolled to the side and growled.

"Dammit. Forgot about Imperial Arms. Way to go, Cole. Another rookie mistake!" Cole climbed to the top of a building and tossed a number of Shock Grenades at the Revolutionary. Cole growled as fire came at him again. Prepared for it this time, Cole raised a hand and formed an Ice Shield. Oda's soldier growled as the ice turned into vapor and turned around as wind pushed the vapor towards him. He pulled out a sword and placed Ifrit to it's hilt. The blade erupted in flames and he turned around, on guard as he heard running footsteps .

"Show yourself, MacGrath!" He grunted in pain as a Lightning Bolt struck him in the shoulder.

"You're a dumbass, lighting a beacon in the middle of a fog while fighting the enemy." He slashed his sword where he heard Cole's voice and growled when he hit nothing. "You're just a big old target." He shouted out as lightning struck his sword and coursed through his body. He dropped the sword and dropped to a knee as the lightning ended. The vapor lifted and Cole stood in front of the defeated man, Amp in hand. "Lights out, buddy." Cole pressed his hand to the man's head and absorbed all of his bioelectricity, recharging his Ionic Charge and dropped the man to the ground. Cole picked up the sword and took Ifrit from its hilt.

"Mr. MacGrath," asked the boy Cole encountered twice already.

"What do you want kid?"

"Can you teach me to fight like you?"

"You want me to teach you how to shoo lightning from your hands? That's gonna be a bit of a problem."

"No, I mean. Teach me to be more like you. Not be as gullible as I am."

"Kid, I'm not a good teacher. Just go and follow some other general in the Revolution, alright? Leave me alone." Cole made it to his apartment and found Kurome waiting outside his door.

"Where've you been," she asked.

"Been in a fight. It's taken care of." Cole looked at Ifrit and felt the heat coming off of the Imperial Arm only it wasn't burning.

"What's that?"

"One of the thugs managed to get ahold of an Imperial Arm. Called it Ifrit. Killed him and took it off him."

"It must've bonded with you. I read that Ifrit usually burns whoever comes in contact with it."

"Huh. Lightning, Ice now Fire. Guess I'm a triple threat now."

"Don't let it get to your head, MacGrath."

"Just head inside and we can begin today's session."

"Whatever." Kurome followed him into the apartment and sat in her usual chair. Cole placed his hand on the back of her neck and channeled electricity into her body after she placed a small plank of wood into her mouth. She grit her teeth against the wood as she felt thousands of volts of electricity course through her and extract small amounts of the drug from her body. Because of the danger of muscle failure, this was only her third session with Cole, making it her fifth overall. Cole wasn't at efficient at drawing out the drug as Delsin, but he was able to limit the feelings of withdrawal by numbing her slightly.

"Continuing our discussion from last time. What would you do if you saw your sister again?" Cole removed his hand and Kurome panted from the pain. She panted for a few moments before sitting up straight.

"I told you before, I don't know. Most of the drug is still in my system, my mind is clearer than before, but thoughts of killing her are still in my mind. Why do you care?"

"I told you about my buddy, Zeke, right?"

"The fat one, right?" Cole chuckled as he went to a chest and pulled out a bottle of ale he purchased a few days ago.

"Yeah. He was like my brother. Back home, he was my brother in all but blood and name. I'd do anything for him, and he would do the same for me. But, something happened that almost put us against each other. An impossible choice. Save the many or save the few. I had to make a choice between curing a plague that would kill over half of the population of my home, Zeke included, or let a the carriers live, and the plague kill off everyone else. The carriers were my people, and we were persecuted. I chose to cure the plague. I get the feeling if I chose to save the carriers, Zeke and I would've come to blows as he tried curing everyone. I can't stand the thought of that. We've known each other since childhood. It would be like I was fighting a part of myself. I get the feeling it would be the same for you if the drugs weren't in you. You said yourself your main motive was to make her into a puppet and make sure she never left again, right? Shows you still love her."

Kurome stayed silent and hugged her knees to her chest, lost in thought. Cole poured himself some ale and poured Kurome some water before handing her the glass. "Thanks."

"Yeah, yeah."

"I wonder where Delsin and the General are. I need their advice."

"I don't know, kid. I just hope they aren't killing each other if they're stuck together. Last thing we need is Delsin dying."

"Or the General."

"I think we can disagree about the General. She seems like a monster, from what I've heard."

"She's a good person, once you get to know her."

"I'll believe it when I see it"

* * *

**(Unknown Location)**

Delsin panted as he collapsed next to the symbol embedded in sandstone left behind by Shambhala. "Get up," said Esdeath.

"Too tired… Let's face it… I can't do this…"

"You're just not trying hard enough." It had been a couple of days since Delsin was forced to tell Esdeath everything. Her reaction was at first indifferent, then curious. Delsin being from a different world explained much about him that had been a mystery. She never pressed Delsin about his home. Nor what he plans to do when he returns. Delsin was careful to keep his affiliation with Night Raid a close secret, it'd taken all of his self-control not to react when Alternate Esdeath mentioned Stylish outing him as a member of the team of assassins, though he was sure she had suspicions about the claim. "What is it about this power scares you?"

"It doesn't scare me. Even with Gaea, It takes a lot of energy. I need a few minutes." Before Esdeath could berate him, the symbol started lighting up and a large beam of light shot into the sky. She picked up Delsin and together they dove into the light. They came out at the same mountain they'd been sent from, the light disappearing behind them after a few seconds. "Ok… did he get a change of heart?"

"More than likely he was trying to obtain our Imperial Arms. Something must've distracted him otherwise either he'd have appeared on the island, or he'd be here."

"Either way, it's good to be back on the mainland. Delsin absorbed ice from Gaea and lifted himself off the ground. Not to be outdone, Esdeath brought a flying Danger Beast to the ground and jumped on top of it, intimidating it into submission. Delsin made his way to the Capital, Esdeath following close behind.

"This Ray Sphere thing, where do you think it might be?!"

"I'll have Budo search every underground place we can think of. I wonder who took my place while I was gone."

"Perhaps that Saisei girl?"

"Maybe." They got to the western gates and Delsin was met with a tackle as he landed, familiar auburn hair covering his vision. Delsin hugged Seryu close to him as she clung tightly to his chest. "Hey, Seryu."

"Where the hell have you been?"

"Stuck on a desert island with crazy over here."

"I resent that, Rowe," said Esdeath as she walked passed them. "I'll let you two catch up. I have a report to file with the Minister."

"Commander," said Ayumi behind them. "I'll take over your shift. You two catch up."

"Ayumi I can't just abandon my post, you know that."

"Consider this a break, Commander Ubiquitous," said Budo above them. Delsin and Seryu looked up and spotted the general looking down at them from on top of the wall. "Good to have you back, Rowe."

"Good to be back, General. I found the one who stole Shambhala from the vault. He's the one who sent me and Esdeath to a random island where creations we believe were made by Stylish were being kept. Same technology as the humanoid Danger Beasts."

"What the hell was that man thinking?"

"I don't think I want to know, sir," said Seryu. Budo nodded before turning back to Delsin.

"Your friend Cole was taking over for you while you were enjoying your vacation, Rowe."

"That's not how I'd put it, General. More like luxury imprisonment and torture."

"However you put it, tell him he can stop assisting us." With that, Budo left the two alone and Ayumi had one of the other guards join her to replace Seryu. Seryu led him to a restaurant for lunch and smiled at him as they were seated.

"Couldn't pick somewhere more private?"

"I only have an hour for a break, then I need to return to my post. So, how was spending the last two months with Esdeath?"

"She knows I'm from another world now."

"What?! Why," she whisper shouted. Delsin proceeded to tell her about what Kessler showed him after they ordered their food. Seryu cursed under her breath. "Does she know about… you know…"

"No. Thank god. Didn't need her killing me."

"Speaking of killing, Cole said that a member of the Revolution is gunning for him."

"Why?"

"General Oda has been trying to worsen the lives of the people in the Slums and Markets. Cole said it looks like he's backing a new… what was the word he used for it? Someone who controls multiple criminal elements."

"A kingpin? That's just great, and after we were rid of criminals for a bit."

"Your absence made them more bold. And this kingpin was smart enough to train the new batch of criminals. We have no idea who it could be."

"We need to find him and stop him, fast. These people deserve better than to have criminals running over them again. So this Oda guy, he's gunning for Cole?"

"And most likely you as well. You're making his job harder, he thinks. He wants civil unrest so that the citizens of the Empire can side with the Revolution when the time comes."

"This man sounds like bad news. How can the Revolution side with someone like him?"

"Cole said there's always atrocities in war. No matter which side you're on. I think they sided with him because he gets results." Delsin sighed.

"Other than that, has Cole been behaving?"

"If you call butting heads with Budo behaving, then yes." Delsin groaned and leaned back in his chair.

"Great. That's just great. Remind me never to go anywhere until this is all done."

"What, worried I can't handle things if you're gone?"

"I'm worried about what'll happen to you if something starts up…"

"The Ray Sphere, right?" Delsin nodded. Seryu reached across the table and took his hand. "I'll be fine. Don't worry."

"The alternate version of you…"

"Was formed when the Ray Sphere was implanted in her head. It's out of mine."

"I'm still wondering how Stylish managed to make it so small."

"Must've been the Danger Beast he probably used for it." Their food arrived and Delsin sighed. "Now, let's eat and enjoy the rest of my break."

"Alright, alright." Delsin and Seryu proceeded to eat and enjoy each other's presence for the rest of the guard's break. When they were done, Delsin escorted Seryu back to the gate before heading to the Market District to find Cole. Delsin stopped as he saw an entire street covered in ice, a few kids playing in the snowy landscape while they could. "I take it Cole was here."

"You know Mr. MacGrath," asked a young man nearby. Delsin turned to him, making him jump in surprise. "You're Eugene Simms, right?!"

"Uh… yeah. How can I help you?"

"Can you speak with him for me, please? I want to learn from him, but he turned me down."

"Maybe you're better off not learning from him. Cole's kind of… abrasive. Kind of takes a lot to get on his good side."

"I guess trying to kill him put me on his bad side, huh?"

"Yeah. Look, I'll talk to him, but I'm not sure he'll listen."

"Thank you, Mr. Simms." Cole went to where he felt a strong electrical source after absorbing lightning from Gaea. He knocked on the door to an apartment and waited for the door to open. Cole opened the door.

"Look who's back," said the Lightning Conduit.

"Hey Cole."

"You're welcome for picking up the slack, kid."

"Yeah, I heard about you and O…" Cole cleared his throat and gestured inside with his head. Delsin walked in and spotted Kurome sitting in his kitchen eating a slice of cake with gusto. "Oh, my patient is here." Kurome turned to the door and hid the cake from him.

"This isn't for you," she said.

"Just ate, anyway, so." Delsin smiled and walked over to the young girl before patting her head, making her blush lightly. "How you been, Kurome?"

"Fine." She brushed his hand away and went back to eating her cake. "If you could, please do your smoke thing. I hate getting shocked."

"I told him I wasn't the best equipped for this," said Cole.

"You were the only one with experience healing others I could think of. And Saisei is only good for stitching up wounds."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Finish up your cake and we'll head to Seryu's house, alright, Kurome."

"Sure," said the young killer. Once Kurome finished her snack, she followed Delsin out of the apartment. Delsin turned to Cole as the Lightning Conduit was about to close the door.

"Oh yeah. There's this guy who wants to learn from you?" Cole sighed.

"Don't get involved, kid. I don't plan on teaching him any time soon," said Cole.

"You should consider it, man. He won't leave you alone."

"I'll just keep turning him away." Delsin sighed as Cole closed the door and led Kurome to Seryu's house. On the way there, Kurome looked at Delsin as they walked.

"Delsin," she asked.

"What's up?"

"When most of the drug is out of my system, can you help me find my sister?"

"Depends on why you want to find her."

"… I want to talk with her. But I'm worried I may try to kill her if the drug is still mostly in my system. Talking with you and Cole about your brother Reggie and Cole's friend Zeke, I can't help feeling how fucked up my relationship with my sister is."

"Are you trying to change it?"

"I'm trying to fix myself. Seeing my sister is a good way to see if this detox thing is working."

"What if your feelings of betrayal and forced mindset come to the surface?"

"Then I know I still need more help. That's why I want you there when I meet her. You can stop me if I start getting hostile."

"This isn't another attempt to try and kill me, is it?"

"I'd be a poor assassin if I told you, wouldn't I?"

"Fair enough."

"The real question is what am I going to do when I'm finally free of the drug?"

"Hide with your sister? You have to admit, the people who wanted you drugged in the first place won't like that you aren't under their control anymore."

"And without the drug, I won't be strong enough to defend myself anymore."

"Build your own strength. Strength based on a drug alone is artificial. Real strength comes from yourself. Your will to survive, your passion to protect your friends and family. That's strength. Physical strength can only get you so far. The strength of your soul and heart can far outweigh physical strength when it comes to life."

"That's preachy."

"Hey, I know what I'm talking about. There've been plenty of times when someone was physically stronger than me. One of them was a woman named Brooke Augustine. She's where I got my Concrete Power from. Not only was she stronger than me, she was smarter too. I still came out on top. She beat me out in pure power, defense, and knowledge of our abilities. There were a number of times when she came close to killing me in our fight. I just kept thinking about how many people would continue to be hurt if I died there. Cheesy I know. Right out of those manga I see some people reading. But that's what kept me going each time. She came at me with everything she had and here I am standing tall while she's locked away in a cell."

"You're right, it does sound cheesy."

"I know. But it's true. She'd spent so long persecuting our own kind, trying to save them, her soul wasn't in the fight. I was trying to free them and prevent others from suffering the same fate."

"Your kind?"

"People with powers like mine. A rarity back home." They got to Seryu's home and found the door kicked in. "Shit." Delsin switched to Ice and Kurome pulled out Yatsufusa. They went into the house and found the place trashed. Her family's furniture and paintings were destroyed. The words 'murderer' and 'monster' were painted on her wall. "Son of a bitch. I'll check upstairs, you cover down here." Kurome nodded and both split up to investigate the rest of the house. Upstairs was just as bad as the entrance and sitting room. He mattress was slashed, and her clothes were shredded. A dresser had been thrown out the window, leaving her night gowns and undergarments in mud left over from recent rainfall. "Goddammit. Fucking assholes."

"Delsin," shouted Kurome. "Down here!" Delsin jumped down from the second flood and ran to the back of the house where Kurome was fending off a man wielding a great sword. Delsin lobbed a Snowbomb at the man and froze him solid. He spotted multiple people getting away over a fence in multiple directions and cursed. "We can't catch all of them."

"We've got this one at least." Kurome slammed the butt of Yatsufusa into the head of the man as he broke out of the ice, knocking him out.

"Seryu has a basement, I'll tie him up down there. I've got some questions for him, and I'm sure Seryu does as well."

"I'd hate to be him right now. Koro's going to have a snack later."

"Not if I can stop him. He needs to be locked up we don't need to resort to death."

"Whatever. Can we get this over with? Cole isn't able to get a lot of the drug out by shocking me, just numb me to the pain of the withdrawal."

"Let's tie him up first. Don't want him perving on you if he wakes up."

"Whatever." They brought him to the basement and tied him to a post. They came back up and Kurome sat in a chair facing away from Delsin, removing her shirt. Delsin placed his hand on her back and started channeling smoke through her body, extracting the drug from her system sweat started covering her brow as the effects of withdrawal started hitting her hard. "God… why does it get worse every time?"

"Because your body is dependent on the drug. It needs time to adjust. If you want, I can shock you slightly to numb you to the effects."

"Please don't… Cole warned me against getting shocked too often. Something about muscle failure."

"Understood, I guess." Delsin sighed and picked up some of the furniture off of the ground. "Dammit, this was the only stuff she had reminding her of her parents."

"What are you going to do?"

"Gotta go tell her." Delsin turned around and found Kurome standing in front of him, shirt still off. Delsin turned away and cleared his throat. "Uh… you mind…" Kurome looked down and blushed lightly before returning her shirt.

"Sorry. Wasn't paying attention. I'll watch the house, you go find Seryu." Delsin nodded and left the house to head to Seryu. Kurome blushed darkly and breathed deep to calm down. _'Dammit, can't tell if it's from the withdrawal, or from him seeing me like that.'_ Delsin got back to the western gate and spotted Seryu making sure the shift change was going smoothly. "Seryu!" Seryu turned around and smiled until she saw the serious expression on his face.

"Delsin, what's wrong?"

"Your home's been broken into. They've trashed everything…" Seryu gasped and took off.

"Commander Ubiquitous," shouted General Budo. "Where are you going?!"

"Budo! Someone just broke into Seryu's home! Me and Kurome of the Jaegers discovered the whole place in ruins and her stuff destroyed!" Budo cursed. "Rowe, check on her! Make sure she's alright! I'll send some people over to investigate!" Delsin nodded and took off after Seryu.

When she got to her home, she couldn't believe her eyes. Everything was ruined. Her family portraits were tarnished, her mothers decorations were smashed, the table her father carved himself one family vacation was chopped up, parts of it in the fireplace. Her childhood home, destroyed by random assailants. Then she noticed the words on the wall and tears started forming in her eyes. Koro pat her leg, trying to console her. Kurome took a tepid step forward, unsure how to console her friend. Delsin stepped into the building, drawing Seryu's attention to him immediately. She ran into his arms and hugged him tight, sobbing loudly into his chest.

Delsin held his girlfriend to his chest and let her sob. He didn't say anything. There was nothing to say. No words to calm her down. Not from this. Kurome looked at them, feeling sad for her friend and angry at them men who did this. She turned to the basement door and went to open it. "Kurome, don't."

"But Delsin…"

"No. As of right now, it's a guard matter now. We're not investigators and Seryu can't get involved in this, it's a personal matter. We can't torture him for information. I… Delsin spotted a glint of metal out of the corner of his eye and rose a wall of ice between them and the front door. A volley of bullets hit it and Delsin growled. "It's a fucking trap!"

"Koro," shouted Seryu. "Sic 'em!" The Biological Imperial Arm grew in height and charged out of the front door at their shooters. Delsin kissed Seryu's head.

"Stay here. They've got us in a choke point. I can get out there without too much damage."

"They may have the place surrounded," said Kurome. "I'll cover the back entrance." Delsin and Seryu nodded and Delsin charged out the front door and jumped off of Koro and into the air, using Ice to hover up above the attackers. Delsin counted at least twelve attackers all around the house. Delsin decided to put his training with Esdeath to the test and created several Ice Spears around him. They impacted the ground at the feet of a few of them, knocking them off their feet and taking them out of the fight. He landed and let the few still standing in front of the house in view. Delsin grinned and started shooting Ice into the air. Clouds started forming above his head and winds started howling around them.

"Hope you guys are dressed for a blizzard!" Delsin called down snow and hail in the area in front of him, encompassing the men in blocks of ice instead of the small layer from his Snowbombs. The ice shattered around them as they were knocked out and Delsin trapped them in hands of ice. Koro heard fighting around the house and jumped over it to join it. Delsin groaned and shook his head. "Whoa, brain freeze."

"D-Eugene," shouted Ayumi as she and a few guards ran over, rifles drawn. "We heard the shooting!"

"Around back, I need to check on Seryu!" Delsin ran back inside and found Seryu kicking a man in the head, a wound in her side. "Seryu!" The guard commander collapsed, clutching her side. Delsin started healing her and sighed as she gasped in pain.

"Asshole snuck in through a window. I think the blade was poisoned."

"I can get it out of your system, don't worry." Delsin heard thunder sound outside and concentrated on healing his girlfriend. Cole walked in and looked at them.

"You guys ok?"

"We're fine, Cole," said Seryu. Cole looked at the man as he tried to get up and restrained him. He looked the man over and cursed.

"What's up," asked Delsin.

"He's Oda's soldier."

"The same Oda who wants us dead?" Cole nodded. Kurome listened out of earshot. "We're gonna need to have a serious chat with the man then."

"I'll have Najenda take us to Revolutionary HQ. Bastard's gone too far this time." _Najenda,'_ Kurome thought to herself. _'Night Raid's Najenda? Does Delsin know my sister?'_

"Dammit. Some first day back. The Beast is almost here, and now I've got to deal with this?" _'What 'beast'?'_

"Wait, wait, wait. What do you mean almost here?"

"He was in an alternate world where the Ray Sphere went off in my head," said Seryu. "Delsin died not long in the world, an alternate version of Esdeath was killed off by the Beast. Night Raid was killed by Stylish in the base raid."

"So the Beast is right next door. Dammit, we're not ready. We need more time before we we're even strong enough to match him."

"You have no idea," said Delsin. "I saw him in action. The Beast of that world…" Seryu gripped his hand lightly. "… He wiped it out with a single shout. Ripped a whole right through her."

"Her?"

"It was me," said Seryu.

"Damn…"

"Cole," said Delsin. "It was unlike anything I'd ever seen before. I couldn't even tell what it was."

"Did you get a look at his face?"

"No, same as Reg. His face was hidden by a damn hood." _'Reg? Does he mean his brother Reggie?'_ A thought came to Delsin and he charged down into the basement.

"Delsin," asked Seryu as Kurome walked into view, showing her normal passive face.

"What's going on," asked the young girl.

"I don't know." Delsin came back up a moment later.

"Dammit. Dude downstairs swallowed a poison tablet hidden in his teeth." Delsin kicked a broken vase and growled.

"Careful," said Seryu.

"I know." Kurome waited after giving her report and letting them know she was leaving. If what she heard was true, she needed to investigate. Her best friend working with Night Raid who she supposedly hates? Delsin being from another world? And most importantly, they both knew where to find her sister? She couldn't do nothing about this and knew it was only going to end one of two ways. With either her or her sister dead if she followed them. But she needed to know where her sister was. Using every ounce of stealth, Kurome followed the three of them as quietly as possible to a mountain base and waited a few moments before stopping as she spotted wires among the leaves of the trees. _'Wires? Cross tails?'_ She skillfully evaded the wires and landed on the outer wall of the base.

"You know," said a girl below her. "The front door is much easier to get to than the southwest wall." Kurome looked down and spotted a young woman wearing a strange outfit with orange and pink hair and eating a bag of cookies. Kurome's stomach growled slightly as she eyed the cookies. The strange girl pulled out a watch. "Must be broken. You're a minute behind schedule." She held up the bag of cookies. "Want them? They're fresh baked." Kurome's stomach growled slightly louder at those words and even more at the smell. She reached for the bag only for the girl to pull them away.

"Give them here."

"Not yet. Eat them after you take this." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small vial.

"What is that?"

"Antidote for the strength enhancing mind altering drugs in your system."

"How did you…?"

"My dad is skilled, he's intelligent and he's more adaptive than most give him credit for, but he'll never be able to get all of the drug out of your system, not without help."

"Your dad? Cole?"

"Do I look related to Lightning Breath? No, my dad's Delsin." She set the bag down next to the vial and saluted. "Sergeant Regina Rowe, United States Army Special Forces. Nice to meet you, Auntie Kurome."

"Auntie?"

"This is going to take some explaining. Take a seat." She gestured to a chair next to her, the bag, and the vial. "This is a long story you need to hear. Drink up first, the cookies will help you keep it down long enough to counteract the drug. My aunt Amalia is a genius. This will cure you. Now!" She sat down in the other chair as Kurome sat down. "Let's start with how Dad and Mom met."

* * *

Delsin paced back and forth as Najenda mentally went over everything that she'd been told. "The Beast is almost here, you're sure," she asked.

"Yeah! He's tearing up the rest of that alternate Empire and Esdeath said she saw it kill the alternate her."

"From what you said, she sounded like she was more powerful than our Esdeath."

"I think so. And the Beast wiped her out like it was nothing."

"First things first," said Cole. "We gotta deal with Oda and pray that bastard Kessler can keep that world closed off long enough to give us time to get stronger. Otherwise, we're fucked."

"I'll arrange a meeting with the other Revolutionary Generals. But I can't guarantee he'll be there."

"Course not. Fucker's a coward."

"Seryu," said Akame. "Are you ok?" Seryu nodded.

"My home is a wreck, so I'm going to need a new place to stay until it's fully fixed."

"Stay here with us. Have Delsin say he found a place outside the Capital to stay."

"I'd advise against that," said Najenda. "Being a member of the guard means she needs to stay in a residence within the Capital. That means either get a new apartment, or sleep in the barracks."

"Dammit," said Seryu. Delsin and Akame hugged her.

"We will discuss this more after Delsin and I return from the Revolutionary Army's headquarters. We need to have a chat with them about Oda's action, apparently," said Najenda. "There's also something else we need to discuss. The time of war is finally coming. Final preparations need to be made."

"This is all too much at once," said Mine. "The War, The Beast, the Ray Sphere! This is insane!"

"I'm sure we'll be alright," said Sayo. "Regina being here means that, doesn't it?"

"Hey," said Reggie. "Where is Regina?"

"We saw her on our way in," said Cole. "She was sitting by a wall eating cookies out of a bag like…" Delsin and Seryu exchanged a look.

"Kurome," they both said at the same time. They ran outside, Akame right behind them, and found Regina and Kurome sitting against a wall eating normal cookies. Regina smiled and waved at them as she ate her cookie happily. Akame had her hand on Murasame, ready to block a strike from her sister at any time. Kurome spit out cookie crumbs and laughed.

"Calm and cool Delsin is afraid of what," she exclaimed.

"Oh no," muttered Delsin.

"They're called mimes," said Regina as Reggie and the others came out of the base. "People who put on black and white face paint and pretend their acting with invisible equipment, all without saying a word. Dad hates them!" Delsin chuckled sheepishly before turning to his daughter from the future.

"Regina… you're grounded when you turn thirteen." Regina paused before facepalming.

"Dammit, now that makes sense. I did deserve it! Wait, I technically didn't since it hadn't happened yet, but it did happen and… GAH!" Regina gripped her head. "Fucking…! OW!"

"Yeah… time travel's a bitch," said Reggie as he massaged his own temples as he fell to the same line of thinking.

"Seriously," asked Lubbock. "Mimes?"

"Their fucking creepy, man," said Delsin. "Most people hate clowns, I hate mimes."

"And you rag on me for being afraid of heights," said Reggie. "At least mine is rational."

"Hey! It's perfectly rational to fear mimes!" Kurome looked up at her sister. All talking stopped as a tense silence fell over them all. She stood up, Yatsufusa in hand and Akame gripped Murasame tightly. Yatsufusa dropped to the ground as Kurome hugged her sister, surprising everyone but Regina.

"Sister," she exclaimed. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" As Kurome sobbed and spoke incoherently to her sister, Akame blinked in slight confusion before letting go of Murasame and hugging her back, unsure how else to respond. Delsin made his way over to Regina and leaned in close.

"What did you do," he asked.

"You were never going to get the drug out fully. This I can inform you since Auntie Amalia said after giving her the serum, it should be safe to discuss. She did an analysis on Kurome. Even with this serum, some of the drug is in her system. But it's no longer affecting her mind and making her more violent. Her physical strength isn't as potent as before, but she can still pack a powerful punch. The serum was two pronged. The liquid to flush out the drug through her pores, much like your smoke did, and the cookies are specially made to absorb any residual particles in her system and stabilize her body without the pain from withdrawal. Auntie's kind of a genius. There's still some of the drug left, but we can't get it out yet without her. Auntie will fix it when everything is said and done."

"So we win."

"Can't say yet."

"But…"

"Things can always change, Dad. Trust me, alright?" Delsin nodded and sighed.

"And don't worry about Mama Seryu. I've already bought a new home for you two. It's close to the northeast wall in the Gilded District. It's a quaint place, cozy for two. Maybe three people."

"You've been hinting at another mother of yours for a while. Can you just tell me who it is?"

"Sorry. I hate spoilers. So no."

"Spoilsport."

"I learn from the best." She hugged him and grinned widely. Delsin sighed.

"You definitely are my daughter if you're this much of a pain."

"Love you too, Dad."

"Delsin," said Najenda. "Get some rest. We leave for headquarters in the morning."

"I'm going too," said Cole. "It's time me and Oda had a private talk."

"Do not kill him," said Najenda.

"He's tried to kill me three times now!"

"He tried to kill me and Seryu as well," said Delsin. "We can't let this slide."

"How much do you want to bet that Oda is this mysterious kingpin, Cole keeps talking about," said Mine.

"We can't be sure about that," said Najenda.

"Look at the facts," said Chelsea. "He's backing slave trafficking, wants the Conduits dead, and just attacked Seryu and Delsin. Who knows what else he's doing? Everything points to him either being the kingpin or being close to whoever it is."

"We don't know that for certain. We shouldn't jump to conclusions."

"Hope for the best, prepare for the worst," said Delsin. "Look, we don't know who the kingpin is. Fact of the matter is we can't jump the gun on this. Here's what we'll do. We confront Oda, find out what his plans are, extract any information about this kingpin if he has any and if things come to blows with Oda's men, we take them down, not out. The Revolution needs as many people as it can get."

"Should we be discussing this around _her_," asked Chelsea as she pointed to Kurome. "She's a Jaeger."

"Relax," said Regina. "With the drug out of her system, she's not a threat to us. She's actually more passive, and…" She walked over to the two sisters and propped an elbow on Kurome's shoulder. "Much more likable. Though don't horde food around her." She glanced at Kurome. "So this is what it's like being the taller one for a change."

"I get bigger in the future," asked Kurome.

"Spoilers…" Regina grinned. Delsin sighed and rubbed his neck.

"You ok," asked Chelsea as Seryu went to disrupt an argument between the Koro's.

"My neck is killing me. I've been sleeping in a handmade hammock without any support for over a month." Chelsea sighed.

"Come with me, I can help with that."

"Alright." Delsin followed Chelsea into the compound and stopped short when he saw she was leading him to the hot springs under the compound. "Uh…"

"Just soak in the springs and you'll feel better."

"I thought you were gonna do some secret technique or something."

"Do you want to fix your neck or not?"

"Alright, I'll go in." Delsin sighed and disappeared behind the curtains sectioning off the men's changing area. Chelsea blushed darkly and shook her head. Before she could do anything else she was startled by Regina.

"Whatcha doin," asked the time traveler. Chelsea jumped and sighed when she spotted Regina.

"Don't ever do that again."

"No promises. Were you about to sneak into the hot springs with my dad?"

"W-what?! Don't be ridiculous!"

"It's ok. You know I'm an adult and my mom gave him the ok, right?"

"Wait… what do you…?"

"Welp, better go find Koro and have him hide Pumpkin from Mine for eating my cake earlier. Ta-ta." Chelsea watched her leave before regaining her blush and making up her mind. She went to the women's changing room and breathed deeply before steeling her nerves and entering the hot springs. She blushed when she saw Delsin already in the water and kept her towel wrapped around her chest. She slipped into the water and started massaging his shoulders.

"What the…?"

"It's me. Relax."

"Chelsea, what are you doing?"

"I said I would help you."

"I'll admit, this isn't what I imagined would happen."

"And what did you imagine would happen?"

"You said you use needles to kill people. I pictured acupuncture treatment, not a massage in a hot spring."

"My knowledge is limited to only killing, I'm afraid. But I do know how to give a decent massage." The hero and assassin sat in silence as she massaged his shoulders and neck. "Delsin?"

"What's up?"

"Can I be honest with you about something?"

"Sure. We're teammates and friends after all." Chelsea grew bold for a second and turned Delsin towards her before planting a light kiss on his lips. Delsin blinked in surprise as she pulled away with a light blush on her cheeks and a slight smile on her face.

"I've kind of been trying to find the best way to approach you about this. This felt like the right time. The only chance I've had to get you alone." She maneuvered herself into his lap and blushed darkly as she felt his reaction to the sight of her. "I've wanted to get to know you better. I'm an assassin, I could die on my next mission. I don't want that to happen before I tell you how I felt. I was also wondering if…"

"If you could start something with me like Seryu and Akame?" Chelsea nodded, blushing. "You know when we connect back to my world, and if Fetch doesn't agree…"

"I know… but at least let me have a chance at something…" Delsin stayed silent for a moment before sighing and kissing her cheek.

"Let's get to know each other more before we officially start anything, alright?" Chelsea smiled slightly and nodded before leaning into him. Outside of the hot springs, Regina smiled and buffed her nails on her uniform before turning to the stairs and skipping up them.

* * *

The next morning, Delsin, Cole, Najenda and Reggie boarded the flying manta. Najenda turned to the group not going to the HQ. "Akame, you're in charge until I return. Make sure the next job goes smoothly."

"You can leave that to me," said Chelsea. "Infiltration is my specialty." Najenda nodded.

"Celia has already been informed, via radio, that Delsin is going with us. She will handle things in the Capital for the next couple of days until he returns. Seryu will provide a cover for Delsin with Budo that he's running an escort job while keeping an eye on the Jaegers. Everyone clear on this?" With everyone nodding, Najenda took the reins and flew them towards the HQ. Delsin turned to his brother.

"How you feeling, bro?"

"God, I'm gonna be sick," said Reggie.

"You said you wanted to join," said Najenda.

"To make sure my brother or Cole didn't kill anyone."

"Ye of little faith," said Cole.

"Not another word, MacGrath. We both know you're not above killing Oda if he proves to be as bad as you think."

"Only if he attacks us first."

"Perks of being Chaotic Good," said Delsin.

"Chaotic Neutral."

"Not sure you should proud of that," said Reggie.

"Spoken like a Lawful Good police officer."

"The laws exist for a reason, MacGrath."

"Not all of them. Some of them were only put in place to make sure the more agitated people stayed in line."

"Could you have this discussion another time," asked Najenda. "I don't want to talk about stuff like this for the full trip."

"Would you prefer we sing showtunes," asked Cole.

"God no," said the Rowe brothers.

"How about we just sit in silence," said Najenda.

"Screw that," said Delsin as he absorbed lightning from Gaea. "I'm going off ahead. Just head straight, right?"

"Delsin, don't…"

"See you guys there!" Delsin lifted himself into the air above the manta and took off.

"Show off," shouted Cole. Reggie sighed.

"And there goes his Anakin thing," said the sheriff.

"Who," asked Najenda.

"Remind me to tell you guys about Star Wars sometimes."

"Spare them the crappy prequels," said Cole.

"They were good."

"Wow, you have bad tastes."

"Dammit Delsin," said Najenda. "Why did you have to leave me with them?"


	16. Kill The Raysphere

Delsin stood at the entrance of the camp, hands in the air as rifles were aimed at him as Najenda's manta landed. "That's why I tried stopping you from going off alone, Delsin," said Najenda.

"Yeah," said Delsin. "Kinda got that."

"He's with me. Stand down." The Revolutionary soldiers nodded and lowered their rifles.

"Maybe you should've warned me about doing that beforehand."

"I tried, but you went 'Anakin' apparently." Delsin groaned and turned to his brother.

"Dude, you gotta stop comparing me to Anakin."

"I would," said Reggie. "If you didn't rush off headfirst without a plan, like Anakin." Najenda walked over to Delsin and lowered her voice so only he could here.

"Do not leave me alone with them again, Delsin. They spent the entire flight arguing about something called Star Wars and whether the prequels were good or bad." Delsin chuckled slightly.

"Sorry, didn't think they'd do that." Najenda glared slightly before heading into the headquarters. The three Conduits followed after her with Cole looking around, overly cautious.

"You look suspicious," said Reggie.

"We all do," said Cole. "Most of them know we're not exactly from this world, remember?"

"Yes, but you look even more suspicious than the last time we were here."

"How did you guys end up here, by the way," asked Delsin.

"I saved Chelsea from her team's massacre before she joined the Revolution. We both enlisted."

"Kessler dropped me above the HQ, where I met up with them," said Cole.

"What about Regina," asked Delsin.

"She just dropped in on the manta from a rift," said Najenda.

"Talk about good planning on Kessler's part."

"Or good manipulation," said Cole.

"All of you," said Najenda. "Shut up." They got into the generals' meeting room and found the other leaders of the Revolution discussing their next move.

"General Najenda," said Oda as he eyed the three Conduits with her. "Bringing your pets again, I see."

"We're here to talk with you, Oda," said Delsin. "Your men tried killing my girlfriend and me. Not to mention that attack on Cole just a few hours previously! What the hell is your problem with us?!"

"I don't have a problem," said Oda. "The Revolution needs the people on its side. And we can't do that if the people feel safe with the guard."

"We've gotten crime rate down! We've been protecting the people!"

"And making it harder to turn them to support us! We need the people on our side to get our forces through to the palace! If some of them die in the conflict, so be it!"

"You asshole!" Delsin gripped the man's armor and lifted him off the ground, strength augmented by Concrete. "Those are innocent people!"

"Think of the bigger picture, Rowe! We're working to better the lives of people later down the line, not just right now! And you're getting in the way of that!"

"That doesn't mean we can just throw lives away! They're not your soldiers who you can treat as fodder, so you don't have to get your hands dirty. Or your drug runners who can take the fall for you so you can still take away the profit!" Oda grunted before slapping his hands away.

"What does he mean, Oda," asked one of the other leaders.

"Oda's been backing slavery, drugs, and other criminal activities," said Cole. "Several of his men I saw last time I was here I've noticed before getting away from crime scenes after putting up more of a fight than the normal people who tried their hand at criminal activities."

"Back home," said Reggie. "We have a term for someone who takes control of multiple criminal elements at once. A kingpin."

"General Oda," said Najenda. "Explain."

"I don't have to explain anything to anyone," said Oda.

"Then you'll just have to pay for trying to kill us," said Cole as he sparked up his arms.

"I hope you realize what you're doing, MacGrath."

"I'm about to beat the living hell out of a motherfucker, unless you stop filling your wallet with ill-gotten goods."

"We should turn him into the guard," said Reggie.

"You can't do that, I'm a general of the Revolutionary Army," said Oda. "I have too much information about our plans to do that."

"Then we lock you up," said one of the other generals.

"Be reasonable, General Reiner."

"I am being reasonable. If you are this kingpin, we need to lock you up as soon as possible. You can help plan the final push, after that, you can either surrender quietly, or our otherworldly friends can apprehend you."

"They can try." Oda brought his great sword to bear and glared at the Conduits.

"There's no where to run, Oda," said Reggie.

"Same goes for you three as well." Oda swung his sword and sent a wave of air at them. Delsin tackled Najenda and a the other generals to the ground. Cole rose an Ice Shield, the wave knocking him off his feet and out of the tent. Reggie activated his armor and tanked the blast before charging at Oda and tackling him out of the tent. "Men! Kill the Conduits! Their traitors to the Revolution!"

"Belay that," shouted Najenda. Oda's men started aiming their rifles at Delsin who switched to ice and lifted a wall of ice between the soldiers and the generals.

"Dammit. Everyone ok," he asked.

"Yes, Delsin. Thank you. Dammit. We should've done this in a more subtle way, but you idiots had to confront him instantly."

"In case you haven't noticed, stealth isn't our strong suit. Which means subtlety is right up there with it."

"Just apprehend his men, Delsin. Don't kill them."

"I don't kill, remember?" Delsin switched to smoke and went to fight the Oda soldiers. Reggie threw Oda away from him and stamped on the ground, sending metal spikes towards Oda. The experienced general dove to the side and sent another wave of wind at the Metal Man.

"You can't take another hit from my Imperial Arm, Rowe! Supreme Winds: Maelstrom will cut down your defenses with ease!" Reggie shouted out in surprise as he was lifted off of the ground. Oda rose to his level and swung Maelstrom down onto Reggie, only to be shot with a bolt of lightning and sent flying away.

"Rowe," shouted Cole. "You alright?!" Reggie grunted as he hit the ground.

"Just peachy…" He picked himself up as Oda sent another wave of wind at them. Reggie and Cole both dove to the side with Cole lobbing a Cluster Bomb at Oda, knocking him back. Oda lifted himself into the air and launched consecutive waves at the two Conduits. "We could use Delsin for this!"

"Leave it to me! I can get up to his level!" Cole ignited his Static Thrusters and used the winds formed by Maelstrom to lift himself higher than he normally would. Cole unleashed a volley of Lightning Bolts at Oda, striking dead center in his golden armor. Oda screamed in pain before sending a gust of wind to try and knock Cole out of the air.

Back with Delsin, he Frost Dashed to avoid the onslaught of bullets directed at him by Oda's soldiers. He saw a few of them go down, curtesy of soldiers loyal to the other generals and the Revolution as a whole, rather than Oda. Delsin lifted an Ice wall to block incoming fire once more before firing Ice Shots at the men's feet, freezing them in place momentarily. Delsin tossed Snowbombs at them, freezing their upper half long enough for their former comrades to restrain them. Delsin Dashed to some down Revolutionaries and Frost Healed them as Reggie ran over. "Delsin, we need your help against Oda."

"Kinda busy, man. How much trouble could he be?" His answer came as Cole was slammed into the ground by a torrent of wind right beside them.

"There's your answer. Now help us!"

"Alright! Don't get your panties in a twist!" Delsin switched to Smoke.

"Whoa, should you be using that?"

"I've got it handled." Delsin Smoke Dashed into the gale force winds and rose to Oda's height. "Alright, Oda! You're going down!"

"Try it, Rowe! I know everything you can do!"

"Not everything!" Delsin lobbed multiple Smoke Bombs at the general before propelling himself forward, fighting the high speed winds to get to the man. Delsin switched to Concrete after building enough momentum and swung a concrete covered fist at the man's head. Oda blocked the punch with Maelstrom and swung the massive sword at Delsin's head. Delsin encased himself in Concrete, forming a massive armor before dropping it and keeping himself afloat with Concrete Thrusters. Oda growled as he was struck by a lightning covered spike from below. He looked down and saw Reggie and Cole aiming their hands at him. Oda blocked another incoming spike and growled as he flew to evade a stream of Concrete from Delsin.

"You Conduits are more trouble than your worth! I should've had you killed when I was paid to!"

"So you were paid to kill us!"

"Of course I was! We need civil unrest, and my employer has helped me achieve that! You're getting in the way! You need to be disposed of!" Oda flew straight at Delsin and swung Maelstrom down. Delsin punched the blade, snapping the blade in two. Oda stared at his now broken Imperial Arm. The winds started dying down and Oda cast his gaze below him as the winds keeping him in the air disappeared. Delsin grabbed Oda by the armor and lowered them to the ground with Concrete Thrusters. He tossed the general to Najenda who placed him in a restraining hold. Delsin switched to Lightning and took him from her grip before sending volts of lightning through him.

Najenda turned away as Oda screamed in pain. Cole watched as Delsin's lightning turned from blue to red and gripped his arm. "Kid, that's enough." Delsin stopped and slammed Oda to the ground. He placed his boot at Oda's neck.

"Are you the kingpin?"

"Y-yes," choked Oda.

"Who hired you to kill us?"

"Go to hell, Rowe!" Delsin increased his pressure.

"Gah! I-I don't know! He always wore a hood! I never saw his face! I just took his gold!"

"General Oda," said Najenda. "You've severely jeopardized the Revolution. You're relieved of command. Reggie, help me get this man to a cell."

"General Najenda," shouted a soldier as he ran over, the radio gifted to the Revolution by Regina in hand. "You need to hear this!"

"…der Seryu… tous…"

"Seryu," asked Delsin.

"…Sin… get ba… an… Ray S…" Delsin's face turned white as Cole used his lightning to boost the signal. "I repeat! The Ray Sphere has detonated! Delsin! Get here fast, please!"

* * *

**(Imperial Capital-One hour prior to Blast)**

Seryu walked into the Jaeger headquarters, a melancholy look on her face as Kurome followed her in. "Seryu," asked Bols. "What's wrong?"

"Some bastards destroyed her home," said Kurome. "Apparently they were family members of people she killed unjustly under orders of Ogre." Seryu rubbed her elbow, the thought of what she did lingering on her mind.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Seryu. Do you need a place to stay?" Seryu shook her head.

"No, thank you though, Bols. Delsin managed to save up enough to buy himself an apartment just before we started dating. We're going to be staying there while my house is undergoing repairs. Everything was destroyed. My clothes, my equipment, everything. Delsin is currently on an escort job trying to get more money to buy me clothes."

"Damn," said Wave. "Is there anything we can do?" Again, Seryu shook her head.

"I appreciate the sentiment, though Wave." The sailor nodded and turned to the entrance as Esdeath came in.

"Seryu," she said. "Budo informed me of what happened. If you want, I'll hunt down whoever did this and make them suffer."

"I appreciate the sentiment, General. But Delsin already said he'd do it himself." Esdeath nodded and turned to the Jaegers. "Everyone, we're heading to the Slums District. There's a report that Night Raid is operating out of that district." Seryu and Kurome exchanged a brief look out of their comrades' gaze and hung back slightly.

"What the hell," whispered Seryu.

"Something's fishy," Kurome whispered back. "I smell a set up. What do we do?"

"Investigate, try and see what's going on." The two girls nodded and followed after the other Jaegers. Upon arriving at the Slums District, Esdeath looked around and thought about where Night Raid might be hiding. As she surveyed the area, her sight was drawn to the children playing nearby. One of them, a little girl, looked familiar to Esdeath. She watched the children playing and felt something she couldn't identify. The girl she'd watched noticed her watching and ran from her view, afraid of her. Esdeath felt her heart lurch slightly at the sight, a hint of sadness gracing the normally stern general's features.

"Everything ok, General," asked Seryu. Esdeath snapped out of her stupor and turned to her subordinate.

"I'm fine, Seryu. Supposedly, Night Raid's hideout is somewhere nearby. Everyone, check the unoccupied houses in the area. It's supposedly one of those. Split up into pairs. Seryu, you're with me. Kurome, go with Wave, Run with Bols. Let's get moving people." The Jaegers nodded and split up. As they went into the first building, Esdeath turned to Seryu. "Seryu, do you know about Delsin?" Seryu stiffened slightly before turning from the overturned bookshelf, trying to see if there was something hidden in the floorboards.

"What about, Delsin?"

"Where he's from." Seryu sighed, knowing Delsin told her everything besides Night Raid.

"Yes. I know. Delsin trusts me enough to tell me about his home. His world. I really want to go there someday. Meet his tribe, meet Fetch. See all the things he's told me about it. I think I'd feel at home."

"What do you know about the Ray Sphere?" Seryu cringed slightly.

"Stylish put that damn thing in my head." Seryu rubbed the scar where it once was. "I still feel where it used to be. Delsin told me what you two saw in… that other world. What I turned into. What he almost did, taking on the Beast alone. As strong as he is, as skilled as he is, Delsin can't take the Beast on alone." Esdeath thought back to the alternate version of herself and the final moments of her life. Esdeath clenched her fists slightly. The other her had been more powerful, she'd demonstrated that power when she used her ice to propel herself to the Beasts, she could feel it herself. And she'd been cut down in mere moments. Her and… Esdeath turned to the entrance, the girl from earlier, coming to mind.

"Something wrong, General?"

"Nothing. Come on. We've got other houses to inspect."

* * *

**(Kurome and Wave)**

Kurome turned to Wave as they searched the remains of a desolate building. "Wave," she said.

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever wonder why Night Raid kills the people it does?"

"Uh… where is this coming from?"

"Me and Seryu did an investigation into one of the families targeted by Night Raid months ago. The Braun family. We found out from one of their former employees who survived the massacre that the Braun's were… well…"

"What?"

"I've heard of worse. The Braun's took people off the streets and slaughtered them."

"They what?!"

"We found a whole shed lined with bodies and torture tools. They were all nothing but skeleton by now. Apparently a formal investigation was never put into the entire grounds."

"They must've had good reasons. Maybe they were trying to weed out spies!"

"The Braun's never relayed any information against the Revolution. They were traders, not military or spies. They had no business torturing people for anything but pleasure. I have a theory."

"What's that?"

"One of the servants of the Braun's called on Night Raid to kill their employers to stop the killings."

"They should've turned them over to the guard!" Kurome smacked him upside the head with a deadpan look.

"Would you think. The guard a few months ago isn't the guard we know now. Delsin had so much to do with the guard changing, it's scary. There was a major outing of corrupt guardsmen shortly after Delsin arrived in the Capital. The guard even took on a different attitude toward defending the public as they developed a healthy rivalry with Delsin on taking out the criminal element of the city. None of the guard could be trusted. You'd know that if you weren't from the Boonies."

"Hey!" Wave thought for a moment. "But I see your point. I've noticed a general change from the Imperial Guard I heard about back home. They were rough, aggressive, and not people you wanted to get on the bad side of. But when I got to the Capital, the guard was so different. Strong, considerate, and helpful. That was Delsin?"

"Delsin and Seryu. Most of those changes wouldn't have occurred if Seryu wasn't around to vouch for him to help push through the changes. Before then, I doubt the working class for most of the nobles had a chance to tell people of their employers actions, leading to the Braun's being able to get away with what they did for so long. Then they were assassinated by Night Raid. The Guard most likely wouldn't have done anything but give them a slap on the wrist back then had it stayed among the lower ranks and not reached Budo's ears. Lately I've been questioning everything about the Empire. Especially since…"

"Since what?"

"Run," they heard Seryu shouting outside. "Evacuate the Slums! Hurry!"

* * *

**(Two minutes prior- Bols and Run)**

Bols pushed down a wall and looked inside the hiding space Run had pointed out, using Rubicante as a light to see into the darkness. Inside the hiding space, they found a skeleton, clothes and skin long ago weathered away. "How long do you think he was hiding here," asked Bols.

"No idea," said Run. "But he must've died a while ago. Nothing left but bones."

"Rest in peace, sir." Bols said a silent prayer for the former occupant of the building and together they left the building. Run turned to Bols.

"Does the General seem a bit different since she returned from wherever she'd been for the last two months?"

"Different how, Run?"

"I don't know. It's hard to describe it. She seems, warmer. Less… violent. A part of her also seems… scared."

"You're her aide. You spend more time with her than any of us. I haven't noticed anything different from her."

"Something happened wherever she was. I think it has something to do with Eugene. Delsin, I mean."

"Why do you think he lied about his name?"

"Seryu said it was in case someone from his home was here. Said he made a lot of enemies. If you found yourself in a strange land, wouldn't you take every precaution you could in case you had enemies nearby?"

"I suppose. But something about Delsin's claims doesn't seem right to me. He claims he's from a far away land, right? But as far as I'm aware, it's impossible for modern ships to make their way beyond the known trade routes. And I've done extensive studies about any tribes. Not once have I ever come across the name 'Akomish'."

"What are you saying?" Before Run could respond, they heard Seryu shouting outside and burst from the house.

* * *

**(2 minutes prior- Seryu and Najenda)**

Seryu opened the door to the third house she and Esdeath decided to check. Seryu spotted something about the house that was different from the first two. "General, look here." Esdeath walked over to her subordinate. "Boot prints. Someone's been here recently."

"Good find, Seryu. Let's see if Night Raid is here" Seryu nodded as they followed the tracks. They were led to a loose floorboard and Esdeath lifted it aggressively with a loud thud. A curse from the hidden room alerted them to the presence of someone else in the building and Esdeath jumped down. Seryu followed after her and had Koro wait on the surface. They ran to where they saw a light in a vast dark tunnel and found a man wearing a hood tinkering with a metallic object. The man turned to them. The top half of his face hidden by the shadow of his hood casted by the torches in the room.

"So you did survive the Danger Beasts."

"You're the man who trapped me on that island," said Esdeath. She grinned maliciously as she drew her new sword. "I've been looking forward to paying you back for that."

"Come and get me then!" Seryu noticed a mark on the ground between them as Esdeath started charging forward.

"General, watch out," she cried. Esdeath looked down and jumped backward as the symbol on the ground lit up and expanded. Esdeath was just out of reach of it. The man growled and raised a military issue rifle at her.

"Little bitch!" Esdeath froze the barrel of the gun before the man could fire at them.

"You're not getting away that easily, bastard," she said, her grin widening. The man sneered at them before grinning and grabbing the metallic object on the table behind him.

"Not another step, bitches. The Commander should be well acquainted with this device. She was rather attached to it, after all." Seryu's eye's widened as he pressed a series of buttons on the device and tossed it to them. Esdeath caught the device as the man used Shambhala to escape.

"That's the Ray Sphere," whispered Seryu.

"This is the Ray Sphere?!"

"It's bigger, but yeah!"

"How do we shut it off!"

"I don't know! Delsin didn't know either! We need to run!"

"Hopefully this buys us some time!" Esdeath dropped the Ray Sphere after encasing it in ice and the two took off. Seryu ran out of the building and cupped her hands over her mouth.

"Run! Evacuate the Slums! Hurry!" She spotted Run and Bols running out of one of the abandoned houses and turned to Run. "Run! Get to all of the houses in this district and the Market, maybe some of the ones in the Gilded District! Hurry! There's a massive bomb! We need to evacuate now!" Run nodded and took to the air. Bols turned to them.

"My family is in the Market," he exclaimed. "I need to get to them!"

"Go," said Esdeath. "Get them to the Palace!" Seryu turned to Kurome and Wave as they ran out and Bols took off, full speed, for the Market, dropping Rubicante so it wouldn't slow him down.

"Kurome, Wave, help us get these people out of here, now! There's a bomb!" Kurome's eyes widened slightly before she nodded and pulled Wave to a group of civilians. Seryu and Esdeath split up. Esdeath spotted the children from before and ran over to them.

"You all need to run now! There's a weapon called a bomb nearby! You need to get out of the Slums as fast as possible or you're going to die!" They kids backed away from her and started running from her in scattered directions. Esdeath growled. "Stupid brats! They should be running away, not towards it! What is wrong with them?!"

"They're afraid of you," said a voice above them. Esdeath looked above her.

"Kessler, right?"

"Yes. Children need a gentler approach. You can't just yell at them and expect them to just obey. I was a father, I know."

"Coddling them won't save their lives."

"Good to see Delsin's words have gotten to you."

"Shut up. I can't spend too long trying to be nice to them. That Ray Sphere could go off at any minute!"

"Try, Esdeath. Or Delsin will never forgive you for abandoning those children." Esdeath growled before going after the children. She found one of them, a young boy who was hiding in a broken down building.

Esdeath sighed and knelt down to him, putting on a smile. "You can come out. I'm sorry for yelling earlier. But I'm trying to save your life. You need to go. Hurry." The boy blushed as he looked at Esdeath smiling and took off. Esdeath stood up and growled softly, knowing she'd have to do that multiple times over. After five minutes, most of the children had run off. Esdeath went over each of the children she'd spoken to and realized the little girl she'd seen on the way into the Slums hadn't been one of them.

Esdeath debated just leaving the girl to die and getting out of the area before the Ray Sphere could ignite, but the thought of leaving the girl to die made her heart lurch as the image of her motionless body in the other world was still fresh in her mind. Esdeath cursed slightly and scoured the Slums, looking for the girl. She found her hiding underneath a small staircase. She seemed to be about four or five years old. She wore a tattered light blue dress and had blue hair like Esdeath's. Esdeath knelt down to her and saw her back away slightly. "It's ok. I'm not going to hurt you. We need to get out of here, alright? Or we're going to be hurt very badly ok?" The girl shook her head slightly as she hugged her knees to her chest. Esdeath growled slightly but calmed her mind and smiled at the girl. "I'm not going to hurt you. I promise. Please. Just come out." The girl stared at Esdeath for a moment before reaching forward and grasping her hand lightly.

Esdeath helped the girl out from under the stairs and rose to her full height. "Ok, we need to run, alright?" The girl nodded and held onto Esdeath's hand tightly as she ran beside her. As they ran, Esdeath felt the hairs on the back of her neck start to stand on end as energy filled the air. She looked around and spotted numerous people either refused to leave their homes, thinking it was just a plot to take their homes away as others were arguing about what and what not to take. Esdeath stopped suddenly, startling the girl, and turned around. A flash of bright light and the rumbling ground were the only warning anyone had as the Ray Sphere, free of the slab of ice, detonated. Esdeath turned to the girl and held her close in an attempt to protect her as dust and rubble joined the flash of light, encompassing everything in a wide area.

* * *

**(Bols)**

As the former member of the Purification Squad reached his family, he knew he most likely had no time to explain. He made sure they were on their cart and forced their horse to go as fast as he could make it run. "Daddy," asked Logue. "What's going on?"

"Honey," said Kije. "You're scaring us."

"Something bad is about to happen. I need to get you two to safety before I go back to help my friends."

"Honey, what's going on?"

"I'll explain everything when we get to the Palace, dear." No sooner had Bols been let through the gate to the Palace than the horizon coming from the direction of the Slums District was lit up in a bright flash of light. General Budo exited the Palace to see what the commotion was as Bols ushered his family inside, away from the light. Budo watched as the Slums, Market and almost half of the Gilded District were covered by the mysterious light. Budo and some of the guard with them covered their eyes as dust and debris were blown into their faces and the sound of a massive explosion.

"Dear God," muttered Budo. Surrounding himself with lightning, Budo took to the air and flew towards the source of the mysterious light, the Imperial Guards scrambling to keep half of their numbers at the Palace to protect the Emperor while the other half ran to try and find survivors.

* * *

**(Run)**

Run had just gotten a few groups of merchants out of danger when he spotted the bright light coming from the Slums. Run took off up into the sky and above the light as the sound of an explosion filled the air. He stared wide-eyed at the size of the light. The shockwave of the Blast made Run lose control of Mastema and plummet out of the sky, towards the light.

* * *

**(Wave and Kurome)**

The two were ushering people out of the Market from the Slums. Wave turned to Kurome. "Where's the General?!"

"I don't know," she replied. "She'll be fine! We need to get out of here!"

"Head to the Palace?!"

"I don't know!"

"Let's head to the Gilded District! We should be out of the blast area!" Kurome felt a surge of energy in the air and turned to the Slums as light started shining from where they'd just come from.

"Run!" Kurome and Wave went into a full sprint, Wave only slowing down occasionally to help a civilian who'd stumbled correct themselves before picking up the pace again. The light was catching up to them and Kurome could feel the wind of the explosion starting to pick up. Ten feet from the Gilded District, Kurome tripped on a discarded toy, forcing wave to back track and help her up. The light was almost on top of them as they made it a few dozen feet into the district. Kurome, knowing she was slowing him down, pushed Wave forward just as the light enveloped her and dust was blown outward, obscuring Wave's view of his friend.

"Kurome!"

* * *

**(Seryu)**

Shortly after splitting up from the Jaegers, Seryu managed to find Ayumi's patrol and told them of the impending bomb. Ayumi immediately took charge and ordered her men to start helping with evacuations while she and Seryu started warning people of the threat and getting them to start moving. Ayumi stayed behind with Koro, finding people being difficult and resisting help, fearing a plot to take what little they had left as Seryu, aware of the size Delsin had told her about the crater in the alternate world, hurried to the Market District to start evacuations there. After informing other patrols, Seryu's job became much easier as this kind of situation was not something she'd ever lie about.

Seryu had just helped on old shop keep onto a wagon and sped it off when she spotted the bookstore acting as Night Raid's temporary hideout with the Market. She walked inside and spotted Lubbock and Sayo looking out the window at the people running away. "Seryu," said Sayo. "What's going on?"

"The Ray Sphere is about to go off," said Seryu. "We need to evacuate right now."

"Hold on," said Lubbock as he went to the secret panel hiding the hidden room that acted as their hideout. "Akame ran a little late executing her target last night and had to crash here. I think she's still asleep.

"Shit. I'll wake her. You two get the hell out of here, now."

"Don't have to tell us twice. Let's go, Sayo!" He took her hand and led her out of the shop. Seryu opened the secret panel and went to the bed, seeing Akame asleep. She shook her friend and co-girlfriend awake. Akame groaned slightly as she turned to Seryu.

"Seryu," she asked groggily. "What's going on?"

"We need to go. The Ray Sphere is…" Screams of terror from outside made Seryu stop her sentence short as she went to the shop area. She spotted a bright light coming from the Slums and hurried to Akame. She covered Akame's body with her own as the light enveloped the shop and the building started coming down around them.

* * *

**(Regina)**

The second generation Mimic watched with a heavy heart as the light from the Blast shined from the distance, lighting up the afternoon sky as the Ray Sphere detonated. She turned to Koro 3.0 and absorbed Neon before the two took off for the Capital. _'Hold on Moms,"_ she thought to herself. _'I'm coming!'_

* * *

**(Shura)**

The son of Minister Honest watched from a safe distance and grinned, waiting for the bomb to go off. He frowned as nothing happened initially. He growled as he paced, watching the Capital with a hungry gaze and bated breath for the Ray Sphere to go off. "Were Stylish's notes wrong?! It didn't even fucking work! I know those two bitches weren't nearly smart enough to defuse the damn thing! What's happening?!" After five more minutes of waiting, Shura had had enough. He used Shambhala to teleport back to the place he kept the bomb and found it encased in ice. He growled and kicked the ice in anger and frustration, cracking it, as he pulled out the plans he obtained from Stylish's former office. "The bastard didn't write down that it could be stopped with ice! I should've killed that bitch Esdeath before now! Who the hell creates a bomb that can be stopped by ice! Stylish, you fucking idiot!" He kicked it again, shattering the ice. Shura had only a moment to think before Ray Sphere detonated instantly, enveloping him in a massive wave of light.


	17. Kill The Aftermath

When Seryu woke up, she found herself in a cot in room within the Palace. She groaned as she sat up and gripped her head. She gasped when she felt her head doused in water. She looked at her hand and saw it was pure water before shaking it and having it return to normal. She recognized the implication and slowly got out of the cot, using a nearby wall to steady herself as she focused on keeping herself solid. She looked up as she spotted a door open and Delsin walk into the room. Seeing her up, Delsin rushed over and hugged her. Seryu collapsed into his arms and the two held each other close. "I'm ok. I'm ok. Akame's fine too, Regina got her."

"I know," said Delsin. "I've been going back and forth between the hideout and the Capital checking on both of you everyday for the last month. She's still asleep. Regina's been keeping an eye on her while I'm away."

"Esdeath froze the bomb, trying to buy us time. I went to get Sayo and Lubbock out of the hideout, Akame was sleeping in the building. We couldn't get out in time. Oh god, are they…"

"They're fine. They're with the other civilians who survived the blast. You, Kurome, Run and Esdeath were given your own rooms to heal. Though Run is going to have some trouble when he wakes up."

"What do you mean?"

"You should see for yourself." Delsin put her arm around his shoulder and led her to the room next to hers. Seryu gasped as she saw what had happened to her friend. Mastema had fused to Run's back. The Imperial Arm was now a permanent part of the young man. "They've tried removing it but have had no luck. Dammit. If we could get him to my world, we might be able to remove it, but here…"

"Delsin, we don't know how to get you back."

"I do," said a weak voice behind them. They turned around and spotted Esdeath leaning on a wall. "The girl, where's the girl?"

"The kid we found you with is alive. She survived and is with the civilian survivors. We've only found 30 survivors."

"Is Bols and his family ok," asked Seryu.

"They managed to get to the palace as the Ray Sphere went off." Seryu breathed a sigh of relief.

"Arf," came a cry from down the hall. Koro bounded over and tackled Seryu and Delsin to the ground before licking Seryu's face. Seryu smiled and hugged Koro close to her as Delsin helped her sit up before going to Esdeath.

"I'll bring you to her."

"Thank you, Delsin," said Esdeath.

"Seryu…"

"Koro can help me maneuver around till you come back," said Seryu. "I'll be fine, Delsin." Delsin nodded and put Esdeath's arm around his shoulders, leading her to the civilian wing of the makeshift infirmary.

"What's going to happen," asked Esdeath.

"Do you feel any different?"

"I feel… worried."

"There's a side of you you've never expressed."

"I've merged with my Imperial Arm. Much like my counterpart. I guess the same thing that happened to her has started happening to me."

"You mean actually being human?" Esdeath glared at him but stayed silent. Her month-long nap had been filled with nightmares. Shortly after bonding with Demon Extract because of the Ray Sphere, Esdeath was able to identify its violent emotions. The Danger Beast it was created from, dubbed Shinigami by the locals of its previous nesting area, was not like other Danger Beasts. It hunted for the sake of hunting. Held no remorse for anything, even other Danger Beasts of its own kind. It reveled in the death and suffering of its prey. That was the main reason why Esdeath had bonded as easily with Demon Extract in the first place. They were of like minds. Then Esdeath had witnessed her counterpart. Seen the strength she had displayed and the resolve. When she saw the child run to her side at the end, Esdeath had felt a pull on her emotions, much like when she had seen Delsin for the first time, only with pain instead of heat.

Esdeath had struggled for the last month understanding what it was she was feeling as the blood of the Shinigami fought with the Conduit abilities that were slowly starting to form along with the stronger bond. Her whole life had been about strength. An aspect that would never change about her. She was perfectly fine about that. But deep down she knew she still felt hollow. Something was missing for her. She'd thought she'd found something to fill that void with Delsin, but his continued rejection proved nothing would happen with him. Then she met the same girl in her world. When thinking about the potential threat of the Ray Sphere, her mind had gone into overdrive. No thoughts had gone through her mind when she shielded the girl from the debris of the Blast. Thinking back, she could've just created a pillar of ice under them to lift them high over the blast. Instead, she had been exposed to the blast all to protect the child.

Esdeath was confused as to why she had done such a thing. What had prompted her into leaping into danger for a child. And suddenly, a new presence had entered her mind. She saw the world through the eyes of a child. Living in the Slums, losing her parents, being hungry on a constant basis, and fearful whenever the Imperial Guard was seen the District. Then hope as someone began fighting for them. As the Guard changed and finally started protecting people rather than harassing them. Esdeath somehow knew she was seeing the memories of the child she'd protected. Cereza. And all too suddenly, the memories stopped. For the second time in her life, fear gripped her heart. Not for herself, this time. But for the child, for Cereza.

As fear started filling her core, Demon's Extract began to consume her. All her strength, all her power would've meant nothing. She almost died, become the next victim of the Shinigami, her mind tearing itself apart as the Shinigami feasted on her fear. That fear turned to anger as she felt Cereza nearby. No one to care for her. No one to comfort and love her. Esdeath, now aware of what she was feeling thanks to her new circumstances, fought back against the Imperial Arms. She was the master. She was the hunter, not the prey. And she would not fall to a mere mindless beast. With new resolve, Esdeath consumed the Danger Beast before it could consume her. As her mind healed faster than it could be destroyed because of her newly activated Conduit Gene, Esdeath forced herself awake and shot up in bed before finding Delsin and Seryu out in the hall.

As Delsin brought her to the civilian area, Esdeath immediately spotted the familiar blue hair she shared with the girl. Esdeath brought her to the girl and Esdeath took Cereza's hand. "Help me onto the cot, Delsin.

"Why?"

"Just do it." Delsin did as she asked and watched as she held the girl close to her. Delsin had checked on this girl several times in the last month. Ever since they had removed her from Esdeath's presence, she had been a bit troubled. Like she was afraid. Delsin watched as her features seemed to calm and looked at them curiously. "Paint a picture, Delsin. It'll last longer."

"I would, but I ran out of paint. This is actually a wholesome sight."

"I will freeze you solid."

"Yeah, you can try." Delsin gave her a grin as she glared at him. "Get some rest, Esdeath. I need to get back to Seryu." Delsin looked up and smiled. "You've already got your first visitors. Bols, Kije! Look who's up!" Esdeath turned around slightly and saw the unusual couple walking over. "Kije's been helping me take care of the survivors. Some of them are up already. I'll leave you three to talk." Delsin walked away and Bols, his mask left at their meeting room, turned to Esdeath.

"Good to see you awake, General," he said.

"Bols. I'm glad you and your family are ok. Where's Logue?"

"With a friend of Delsin's," said Kije. "A woman by the name of Regina. They're playing out in the Palace courtyard with a few of the other surviving children who've woken up already. Honest tried getting rid of them but Delsin made a convincing argument about keeping them until their families were better."

"Delsin convinced Honest?"

"More like he went over Honest's head and spoke with the Emperor," said Bols. "Asked him what he'd feel like if his parents were in the same state as some of the people here." Esdeath smiled slightly.

"How's Logue been doing?"

"She was pretty shaken up from the initial blast and our race here, but she's calmed down. Delsin's been a great help."

"I'm surprised he trusted you to his real name."

"I've been helping him with the survivors," said Kije. "He's a good young man and Logue looks to him like an older brother." Esdeath looked down at Cereza.

"Would you say she and Logue are the same age?" Kije looked at the girl Esdeath was lying next to.

"I'd say there's probably only a year gap between them. Why?"

"I wonder if they'd get along."

"Do you know her," asked Bols.

"Her name is Cereza. She was an orphan before blast, living on her own and being fed by either the adults not inebriated or by Delsin when he arrived in the Capital. She's a strong little girl…"

"Esdeath, you should adopt her," said Kije, surprising the general. "It's obvious you care for her already. Seems only right that you should take her in permanently." Esdeath looked at Cereza again and watched as the small girl moved closer to Esdeath as wisps of ice vapor came off her hands while she slept.

"Maybe you're right, Kije."

Delsin helped Seryu make her way outside, Koro riding on top of his head. They spotted Regina playing with the children who had survived the blast and Seryu watched on with a small sense of pride. Given her mannerisms, and her knowledge of future events, Seryu had long since accepted that Regina was who she claimed she was and that everything would work out with Delsin, Akame, Fetch, and now Chelsea. As their daughter from the future spotted them, she waved and the two waved back. "I hope we can see your home soon," she said.

"I do as well," replied Delsin. "You'll love it. I know it. And Fetch will love you guys."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Fetch is an easygoing girl. But it's still something we need to talk with her about. God, I hope not a lot of time has passed there. Last time we were separated, both worlds were moving at the same speed. Whatever world Hank ended up in before returning home was moving faster, I think. It explains how he could get into a full fight with the Beast and lose an arm in a matter of seconds. If our worlds desynced…"

"Don't think like that," said Regina as she walked over. "It's better not to dwell on things like that, trust me. Growing up, hearing the stories of this place, I worried constantly about what might happen. Kessler got me to stop. Said it wasn't important to dwell on it at the moment. It's the same as you right now. Relax, Dad. We'll be fine."

"Why did she call you Dad," asked Logue behind her. Delsin gave Seryu a look and was met with a sheepish grin before turning back to Logue.

"It's a joke between us. I have the same name as her dad, and when we first met, she started calling me that. Regina is just an odd girl." Regina stuck her tongue out at Delsin before turning away. Delsin and Logue shared a chuckle before he turned back to her. "Been having fun with her?"

"Regina has a lot of fun games to play! She's the best!" Delsin smiled and ruffled Logue's hair before turning back to Regina.

"Can you keep watching them, I have a few things I need to do after I get Sleeping Beauty back to her bed." Seryu blushed and smiled slightly at Delsin's comment before catching Koro in her arms. Delsin helped her along, holding onto her arm this time so she could start putting more weight on her legs to give some life back to them, her natural quick healing starting to kick in. "That's what I was counting on. Good old Conduit Regeneration." Seryu held up her hand and Delsin saw it turn transparent as it shifted from flesh to water.

"I don't think I'm going to get used to this," she said, slightly worried. Delsin took her hand and both entered each other's minds. Delsin saw everything Seryu had gone through in life. From her happy times with her parents, to her sad times and training with Ogre. From their first meeting at the southern gates, to their first kiss to the Blast. Seryu saw scene's from Delsin's life. Delsin growing up learning the legends of the Akomish Tribe. Learning about life from his father before his parents died in a car crash and his brother started taking care of him along with Betty and the rest of the tribe. Akomish take care of their own, after all. She saw the car crash that marked the start of Delsin's insurgency. She saw him learning more and more about his powers, meeting Hank, Eugene and Fetch. Saw the wonders she'd heard so much about from Delsin and Regina and saw Delsin grow into the hero she knew him as.

As they left each other's minds they stared at each other before Delsin held up his hand and saw it turn into water as well. "Whatever happens, we go through this together."

"What about Akame? You'll have to help her as well."

"And I will. We've been collecting Blast Shards and Blast Cores from the Blast. I haven't drained them in case there is a Conduit like me or Cole. We've just got them lying around."

"Can I absorb them?" Delsin shook his head. "I think only those with mimic or pure energy Powers can do it. Elemental and solid Power Conduits can't. Augustine tried and failed. Shortly after Augustine was arrested, Eugene and Fetch both tried, but only Fetch could drain them. Something she bragged to Eugene about often." Delsin got her to her room and helped her to the cot. "I'll drain some Shards and Cores and see what I can learn about our Powers, ok?"

"Ok. But don't forget to do the same thing with Akame."

"I know. I love you both equally, I'm not about to neglect either of you." Delsin kissed her and left. Seryu looked at her hands and saw them turn to water and keep their shape. She aimed at the door to her room and pictured a stream coming from her hand. When it did, she saw the door had been cut in half and steam rose from where the stream connecting with the wood and stone. She looked at her hand and smiled slightly before seeing a pitcher of water next to her and absorbing the water she had just used.

Delsin walked over to the Imperial Guard wing and went to Budo. The general turned to him. "Yes, Mr. Rowe?"

"Seryu and Esdeath have both woken up. The others still asleep should be waking up soon as well."

"That's good to hear."

"Is Honest still…"

"He's still demanding I conscript each of them into the army."

"How does he know about Conduits? I never told him, and I made sure we were alone when I told you about the people when they woke up what they might be able to do."

"I could have an explanation. Honest has a son. One who was banished from the Capital some time ago. He wasn't a good person, growing up or as an adult. Spoiled rotten, vicious, cruel, entitled. Evil. And fascinated in some things that Stylish was working on." Delsin turned to Budo.

"What was his name?"

"Shura."

"Did he have any distinguishing features?"

"He has an x shaped scar on his face from a failed duel against a noble of higher stature than Honest at the time." Delsin thought back before something came to him.

"Was he about as tall as me? White hair, tanned skin?"

"Tanned skin, no. But that can easily be attributed to spending a lot of time outside. But yes, he did have white hair. Why?"

"I think Shura was the one who trapped me and Esdeath on that island and stole Shambhala from the Vault."

"Do you have any evidence?"

"No. Just memory of someone with similar features. Circumstantial evidence."

"But a lead. Delsin, I'm hiring you for a job. Track down the man you saw on Mt. Fake. If he is the son of the Minister, bring him in for questioning. Someone had to have set off the bomb. See if Seryu and Esdeath had seen anything or anyone near the bomb. And Delsin. You mentioned to me something about the bomb, this Ray Sphere. You said that as well as giving people Powers like yours, there was a chance of something else."

"The Beast. An uber Conduit of incredible power. The Beast from the First Blast in Cole's old city was powerful. This was before my powers developed naturally. A different strain of the Conduit Gene than Cole's. The Beast could create other Conduits using the energy absorbed from the Blast. But it also created something else as well."

"This plague you told me about?" Delsin nodded.

"The same plague didn't start up in the Second Blast. So, it's not something that happens every time. But the Beast potentially is. Generally, we're talking someone caught in ground zero of the Blast. The only exception would be Cole, who was at the center of the First Blast."

"How do we know?"

"Truth is," said Cole behind Delsin. The mimic turned around and saw him leaning against the doorframe. "I had a chance to become the Beast. See, the Beast Delsin told you about wasn't made from the Blast initially. The man who became the Beast was absorbed by the Ray Sphere. Completely. Not a single body part left. A few weeks later, he was back, and more powerful than ever. The Ray Sphere had been cooking all of that energy from the First Blast for a few weeks if not a month or two before he was caught in the Ray Sphere. When he came back together, he was changed. He told me he pieced himself back together by thought alone."

"The way you describe him, he may as well be a god."

"In a sense he was. He offered me the chance to become the Beast before he died. I declined. No man should have that kind of power. It does stuff to you. Ugly stuff."

"Well, let's just hope this Shura guy isn't a Beast," said Delsin before leaving.

**(Two weeks earlier.)**

Honest sat in his luxurious bedroom, sulking. Commoner vermin were stowing away in _his_ palace. He didn't do away with his brother and sister-in-law, attempt to corrupt his nephew and reduce the common folk to simpering trash he could easily control just to have them breathing in the same air as him! It was bad enough this Eugene Simms had been helping the commoner trash, and ended the corruption of the Imperial Guard, now he was in Makoto's ear! Using his nephew's naivete against him! The Emperor was his nephew! His tool! His golden ticket to a life of greed and debauchery, a life his brother was a fool for never indulging in! Ever since Simms had arrived in the Capital, all of his plans had gone to shit! Even his attempts at trying to kill the bastard had been met with failure!

Honest angrily bit into a leg of chicken and mulled over what to do with all of his problems. If this kept up, he was going to develop an ulcer from all of this stress. As Honest tried thinking of a plan to rid himself the commoners and Eugene Simms, a shriek behind him drew his attention. Honest turned around and saw a mass of bones and half-missing muscle shambling towards him. "S-stay back! Whatever you are, stay back! Guards! Guards!" The figure shambled towards him and gripped his neck, squeezing tight before uttering two utterly terrifying words.

"Father… hungry…" With that, the figure started to slowly turn into dust and fell onto his robes. Honest brushed the dust away in fear and disgust when one of the Imperial Guard walked in. He saw the minister brushing off his robes and sighed.

"I'm a guard, not a maid. You want help cleaning after yourself, ring your damn bell. Goodnight, Minister Honest." Honest glared at the guard and made a mental note to have him executed as soon as his powerbase was back to its previous height. He turned to where the dust lay and saw the wind from his open window blow it away.

"What was that thing just now? It called me Father, but it didn't look or sound like Shura." Honest absentmindedly bit into his chicken leg as he thought over the sudden encounter.

**(Present day)**

Honest sat in his room once more, waiting for the figure like clockwork. More and more of it had been forming each day and now he was sure of it. The thing that appeared in his room two weeks prior had been his son. He had no idea what had happened, but he didn't care. As more of his son started appearing each day, the same thing happened. He would appear, attack Honest and proclaim he was hungry before turning into dust. The day before Shura had been almost whole. He dreaded to think what would happen if he were to form fully before a thought came to his mind. Just before the figure of his son was supposed to appear again, Honest turned to the door. "Guard! There's an intruder here!"

The same guard who had mouthed off to him before went into the room and looked around. "Ok, where's the intruder? I don't see a damn…" His words stopped in his throat as the form of a naked man with tanned skin and a large x shaped scar on his face grabbed hold of him. His eyes showed no sign of intelligence and in his hand was what looked like a wooden charm, fused to his skin.

"Hungry," shouted Shura as he started draining energy from the guard. The guard drew his knife and attempted stabbing the figure in front of him to make him let go but found such a wish was not possible. He lost more and more energy the longer he was in this person's grip and saw his extended arm start to wither away into a husk before crumbling to dust, his body following soon after. Shura stood tall, eyes glowing with black and red energy as he reveled in the energy he had acquired. "More. Need more. Hungry. Still hungry!" Honest smiled greedily as he thought the gods were smiling down on him. A solution to both his problems had just arrived before him. And to think, if he hadn't courted that ghastly looking woman so many years ago, such an option would never exist. Oh how the world works for the selfish!


	18. Kill The Biomass Conduit

Delsin smiled as Seryu helped Akame out of her bedroom in Night Raid's hideout. Akame smiled as she met his gaze and the two met in a hug. "Good to see you up," he said.

"Thanks for taking care of me," she said.

"Of course." They shared a brief kiss before Akame sighed.

"I should get started on getting back into shape. Seryu said I was unconscious for a month?"

"Yeah. This means your Powers are more potent because there was more bioelectricity absorbed by you."

"I… don't think I like that…"

"Good," said Cole nearby. "Means you haven't lost your mind because of the Powers. Back home, there were a number of people from the first Blast that couldn't handle the effects of their Powers and went mad. The two I fought and a number of others who had managed to escape Empire City before martial law was put into effect. And then those turned by the Beast. It's always a tossup about how your powers will affect you." Delsin spotted Seryu look slightly worried and took her hand in his gloved one.

"Do we know what I have?"

"Not yet," said Delsin. "Which is why we're going to practice."

"I can barely walk."

"The more you learn about your powers, the faster you can learn to absorb it and heal from it."

"It helped me," said Seryu. Akame turned to her in confusion and Seryu demonstrated by lobbing a ball of water above her head. Akame sidestepped the water and looked at her. "I uh… got caught in the Blast with you. I was trying to get you out."

"Thank you, Seryu." Akame took her hand and smiled. Delsin frowned as he remembered the information they'd gathered recently. "What's wrong?"

"The Jaegers are going to be deployed soon," said Seryu. "We're heading to protect the Minister's man who is attempting to assassinate the leader of the Path of Peace."

"And at the same time," said Cole. "Najenda received orders to intercept the Jaegers and assassinate two of their members. Kurome and Bols."

"What,' exclaimed Akame. Delsin nodded.

"I've spoken out constantly against it," he said. "We informed them about Kurome a while ago, and Bols has a family. I'm not about to take him from them. And you've just gotten your sister back."

"Also," said Seryu. "Esdeath wants Delsin to come with us. Act as a form of backup against Night Raid."

"Needless to say, I've had a lot on my mind."

"What are you going to do," asked Akame.

"I've convinced her to let me stay behind and watch over her new daughter, Cereza." Akame stared at him in disbelief. "They were both caught in the Blast, Esdeath tried protecting the girl from it."

"So, she's even more dangerous now."

"Actually," said Seryu. "She's changed. Somewhat, at least. Something about her Conduit Powers has made her more… I guess human. Oh, you should see how she is with Cereza! It's so cute! She cares for her like she carried her in her womb!"

"To be honest," said Delsin. "It's just a little unnerving seeing it come from her."

"Delsin," said Najenda as she walked over. "We need to talk." Delsin nodded, kissed his girlfriends briefly, and followed Najenda outside.

"What's up, Boss?"

"I have an idea for how we can, 'officially' deal with Bols."

"What did you have in mind?"

"Well first, we need you to come with us."

"Hold on. I just convinced Esdeath I could watch Cereza while the Jaegers head out."

"I know. And I know how long it took you. But in order for this to work, you and Regina need to spirit Bols away from the fighting quickly and then you meet up with Chelsea and get Kurome out as well."

"What the hell am I going to tell Bols about all of this?"

"Whatever you can. Get him away, convince him to run, find his family, and leave the Capital."

"I believe I can help with that," said a voice above them. Delsin looked up and spotted another Rift.

"Kessler," he asked. "What do you want?"

"I can open up the rifts to your world temporarily to help Bols get away. I'll work to get his family away as well."

"Why?"

"Because I have a plan to beat the Beast. For it to weak, I need to slowly remake the Rifts between this world and your own."

"You've been telling us you wanted the worlds separated until the Beast was dealt with!"

"Delsin, in order to beat it, you need every power in your arsenal and then some. He is that powerful. We need to have every advantage we can get. Trust me on this."

"I don't trust you! You haven't told me anything about what is going on! You don't tell me anything about the Beast and expect me to just beat it! Even if my daughter is here telling me I've already done so, I don't know how! Tell me something!"

"I can't. Delsin, work with me on this! The Beast has destroyed too many worlds. We cannot allow him to destroy any more. We can't effectively work together if we're arguing and at each other's throats." Delsin and Najenda heard him sigh. "And for that matter, there's the matter of this world's Beast. He's a dangerous one in his own right."

"There's a Beast here," exclaimed Najenda.

"Biomass Conduit. He was at the epicenter of the Blast. His power and its necessity have driven him to madness."

"Is it the Minister's son," asked Delsin.

"I'd assume so. He seems to teleport before I can observe him."

"So he hasn't fused with his Imperial Arm like Run?"

"No."

"Which means I can use it to get home!"

"Potentially. I don't know if it has the power to travel between worlds."

"There's also the chance it doesn't bond with you. Wielding two Imperial Arms is considered risky and dangerous," said Najenda.

"If it means getting home and seeing Fetch and Eugene again, I need to try. Especially if Kessler's plan means opening the Rifts between the world again. A quick way there and back would be the best option. I need to make sure she's alright. She's pregnant, Najenda. I need to get back there." Najenda sighed. She mulled over his words for a bit before looking at him.

"Instead of risking yourself, we'll have Reggie use it. He doesn't have an Imperial Arm himself, there's less of a risk for him."

"Alright. That's fair. At least we're from the same world. Thank god."

"Delsin," said Kessler. "Good luck." They watched the rift close and Delsin sighed.

"Spirits help us…"

"Spirits?"

"Recently I've started praying to the spirits my tribe believes in. Figured if anyone was watching over me, it's them. My ancestors and the guardian spirits that protect the Akomish."

"If they can help with the Revolution, let me know. We need as much help as possible." She pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

"Pretty sure they don't do that."

"A girl can dream, Delsin."

A few days later, Seryu walked beside Esdeath as they headed east. "Who do you have watching Cereza since Delsin has a job to do," she asked.

"Budo offered," replied Esdeath. "I'd rather Delsin watch her, or Kije. But they're both busy."

"Ayumi would've watched her."

"No. I think she's still adjusting to her Powers. She hasn't really likened to them as we have. I don't want to add too much stress. Cereza has been nervous in the Palace and frankly, I don't blame her. Honest has taken a very unnerving interest in her recently." Seryu frowned and hid her clenched fist. In the short time she'd been around the little girl, Seryu saw her as a little sister. With Honest potentially leering over her, it just gave her another reason to want him dead as soon as possible.

"I don't particularly like that fact."

"Neither do I. Ever since the Blast and I adopted Cereza, I've been constantly keeping an eye out for Honest so I can get her away. Something about him doesn't sit right with me. Things I just ignored before are now clear as day and I don't want my daughter anywhere near them. But my duty to the Empire still stands. I… I've been thinking I should…" Esdeath hardened her appearance as she spotted the canyon they were approaching. "Hmm…"

"What's wrong," asked Bols.

"I was just thinking we should've waited for Run to wake up before moving out. But Night Raid would've gotten to Bolic if we stayed any longer. This canyon splits into a fork. Normally, I'd split us up and have either side signal if there was an ambush. But without Run, that makes this much more difficult."

"We'll be fine," said Kurome. "If Night Raid plans to attack us, we're ready for them."

"She's right," said Wave. "They'd be crazy to fight us, even with a man down!" Esdeath thought for a moment for turning to her team.

"Wave, you're with me. We'll take the left path. Seryu, Kurome and Bols, head down the right path. Signal if you encounter Night Raid."

"Yes ma'am," said Seryu with a salute. She and Kurome exchanged a slight look before they split up. Above in the cliffs, Najenda questioned their luck. Their target was with Seryu and Kurome. She narrowed her eyes before nodding to the others.

"Same strategy as before. Reggie, Susanoo, and I will distract Esdeath. The rest of you, try and see if you can make the fight believable to make it look like Bols dies. Delsin, get Kurome out of there as quickly as possible. Regina…"

"I already know what to do. Koro. Let's go!"

"Arf," said Koro 2.0 as she absorbed Video and turned invisible. Delsin frowned slightly, drawing Akame's attention.

"Something wrong," she asked.

"I can't shake the feeling that this is going to end badly."

"Should we call it off?"

"We're already starting. Go down there. Esdeath needs to hear some fighting on this side so she doesn't get suspicious." Akame nodded and kissed him before going down to head off the Jaegers. Cole looked at him.

"Good to know I'm not the only one with a sixth sense for this kind of thing," he said.

"I can't explain it. Something just doesn't feel right here. It's like we're being watched. Something bad."

"Like what?"

"…I don't know. I just…" He faltered as he heard the screams coming from Seryu's pass. He looked down below and spotted what looked like deformed humans rising from the ground. Their skin appeared to be melting and their faces were locked in a visage of terror. They were grabbing onto the girls and trying to pull them into a mass of flesh a few yards away. "The Beast?!"

"Kid, look out!" Cole tackled him out of the way as a tentacle of flesh slammed down on his position. Cole shot a Lightning Bolt at the tentacle, forcing it away in pain.

"Hungry…" came the growling voice nearby. Delsin looked up and spotted a man with tanned skin and an X shaped scar on his face. At his waist was a small wooden tablet Delsin recognized as the Imperial Arm he'd been looking for: Shambhala.

"Shura, I take it," he said.

"So hungry… Need more!" Shura raised his hand and shot out balls of biomass at the two Conduits as Delsin shot Cinder Rockets at the biomass trying to absorb people down in the canyon. Bols wrenched his arm free and aimed Rubicante at the pile of flesh. He started scorching it, trying to hold it back.

"Lookout," shouted Akame as she sliced away at a tentacle trying to capture him from behind with a shot of wind, severing it in half and watched as the severed portion shriveled up.

"Why did you save me," he asked. "You're with Night Raid."

"Less talking, more fighting this stuff," shouted Kurome as she summoned a giant skeletal lizard. It managed to shoot a beam of energy at the biomass as Akame sliced away at the tentacles with Murasame and her Conduit Powers. She grimaced as no curse marks appeared on the flesh.

"Whatever this stuff is, it's not alive," she said. Seryu stood away from the fighting, trying to pinpoint where the source of the creature was and spotted lightning coming from the cliffs.

"Delsin… we need your help down here…" Said Conduit grunted as he was slammed away from the cliff and into Esdeath's canyon. Esdeath and Wave halted their attacks on Susanoo and Reggie as they spotted him landing in front of them.

"Delsin," exclaimed Esdeath.

"Delsin," shouted Reggie. The Mimic groaned as he stood up and looked up to see a massive lightning strike come down where he knew Shura was standing.

"It's Shura," he said. "He's this world's Beast! Biomass Conduit. Looks like he controls flesh."

"Yes," said a voice nearby. Delsin growled softly as he turned around to see Honest as well as some of the Elite Guard. Three of them had Bols' family as well as Cereza in their grasps. Delsin growled.

"Let them go, you fucker!"

"No. See, the Blast has given me the best thing I could ever ask for. Living Imperial Arms. All citizens of the Empire and all people I can control! I don't need the Jaegers anymore and Night Raid will no longer be a threat on my way of living!"

"You're fucking insane!" Cole grunted as he landed beside Delsin. Delsin looked up and saw Shura sliding down the cliffside toward them. He watched as the ball of flesh slammed through the cliff and moved quickly to get the hostages out of the debris field. The Elite Guard readied their weapons to try and fend off the biomass as two of their numbers were crushed under stone. Honest looked at the horrifying mass as it drew near.

"Shura! Call it off! You hear me?! Call it off now! I am your father!"

"Father… so much food… so… HUNGRY!" Shura shot forward towards the Elite Guard and Honest as Delsin heard thunder above. He looked up and spotted Budo landing beside them.

"Shit," said Najenda.

"Minister Honest," he said. "I've gotten reports people in your employ have been reported missing, not just servants but members of my guard. What on earth is that?"

"A part of Shura," said Najenda as she stepped up next to Delsin. "His Conduit ability seems to be flesh, or Biomass as Delsin puts it."

"He's the Beast," said Esdeath. "At least from what Delsin believes." Delsin moved quickly after moving Cereza, Logue, and Kije behind Najenda before moving to get three of the guards away from Shura's rampage. Kije and Esdeath covered the children's eyes as Shura started consuming the guards he could get while Honest tried crawling away in fear.

"That's so much better," said Shura with a malicious grin as he turned to his father. "Hello, Father. My. You look so… filling."

"Shura, you will not harm me, understand," shouted Honest.

"That's the thing, Father. You've always told me to take what I want. To consume what I want to no end!" Shura brought his face close to Honest's and grinned, showing a row of sharpened teeth. "Well, I'll just take that to heart!" Shura grabbed his father by the neck and started absorbing the cowardly and selfish man with sadistic pleasure. Delsin rushed in close and brought out his shield, enhancing it with smoke and launched it at the man's head. As Shura coughed to try and get the smoke and ash out of his lungs, Delsin grabbed hold of Shambhala and Dashed backwards to avoid getting hit by the sword Shura picked off the ground from one of the now dead Elite Guardsmen. He tossed it to Reggie before blasting the ground under his shield and Dashing to catch it in the air as Shura growled and launched flesh orbs at the Mimic Conduit.

"Reggie! Get them out of here," he shouted as he blocked the orbs and slammed one to the ground before launching a Cinder Rocket into Shura's face. Unlike other Conduits, Shura's healing was triple the normal rate and the damage was undone instantly. "This is going to be one hell of a fight…"

"Reggie," asked Esdeath as she stared at the Metal Man.

"If you think I'm going to leave you to fight alone with that thing…" started Reggie. Delsin rounded on him.

"Reggie just fucking listen to me! Get Kije, Logue, and Cereza out of harms way and get back here pronto! He's a Beast! I can't fight him alone!"

"Mr. Delsin," shouted Cereza. Delsin turned around and saw a massive maw extending to him from the ball of flesh. Instantly, it was frozen and Delsin slammed his shield into it, smacking back towards Shura who held up his hand and halted its movement. He turned back to thank Esdeath and blinked as he saw Cereza panting from the exertion of Flash Freezing the mouth that was about to take a bite out of Delsin.

"Budo," said Cole. "I'm gonna need a decent charge for this. Hit me with everything that Imperial Arm has." Budo nodded before charging up an attack and directing it to Cole. The Lightning Man absorbed it all and popped his neck before bringing out the Amp. Lightning and fire covered the prongs and Cole grinned before shooting out a Burning Lightning Bolt at Shura who used the ball of flesh to block it and growled as he seemed to feel pain. "Oh yeah, this'll be fun." Reggie tried activating Shambhala as Wave rushed to Shura. Akame acted fast and shot a Wind Blast to knock the young man away from the Beast.

"Don't," she shouted. "I doubt even your armor would be able to withstand his Power!"

"Why should I…"

"She's right," said Kurome. "Leave this to the Conduits. They've got a better chance with their long-ranged attacks. We'll only get in the way." Esdeath moved Cereza behind her and lifted her hand. A massive ball of ice formed in the air above Shura and fell right for him. Shura growled and sent the giant flesh ball towards the iceberg, shattering it instantly.

"Delsin," shouted Reggie. "I can't get it to work!" Delsin lobbed a Smoke Bomb at Shura and faltered as the man formed a mask of flesh over his mouth and nose.

"Dammit," muttered the Mimic before seeing a bright blue cage pop up around Shura and his flesh ball. He looked around before seeing Regina appear next to him, grimacing at the effort of keeping the Beast contained.

"Dad," she said. "Use it! Hurry! I can only hold this for a few more seconds!"

"Reg, toss it here!" Delsin caught the Imperial Arm just as Shura started moving into the flesh ball. They watched in horror as Shura started growing in height. "Oh, that's gotta be the most disgusting thing I've ever seen…"

"Delsin," said Najenda. "If you're going to do something, do it now!" Delsin looked around before seeing a few boulders from where the flesh ball had broken through the cliffs.

"Bols, Mine! Keep him off me! I'm going to try and use Shambhala!"

"Are you insane," exclaimed Budo as he and Cole shot lightning at Shura as Regina dropped her cage. Reggie lobbed Shrapnel Bombs at the Beast as Mine fired away with Pumpkin. Delsin concentrated on the boulders and made them teleport above Shura. The Beast looked up and roared as they slammed on his head. His roar attracted nearby Danger Beasts of all sizes and they bounded into the canyon, surrounding the humans. Esdeath Flash Froze the creatures behind them as Bols used Rubicante to burn away some of them to get to his family. He hugged Kije and Logue to himself as Cereza clung to Esdeath's leg. Budo used his Trump Card to try and deal some damage to Shura. Cole backed away slightly as he saw black lightning emit from the Imperial Arm. A giant ball of lightning formed between his hands. Already feeling like he wouldn't want to even touch them, Cole moved everyone out of the way as Budo shot the lightning forward, draining his Imperial Arm.

Shura roared as it struck him in the chest, burning away a massive hole. Budo panted as he used some of his own energy to conjure the black lightning and hoped it was enough. Esdeath attempted to freeze the Beast as it was weakened and distracted only for the ice to break as it started consuming the Danger Beasts to heal, the Biomass growing larger as he did. "Dammit," said Cole. "We need to get him away from the Danger Beasts." Najenda turned to Esdeath.

"We need to take out the Danger Beasts and allow Delsin to take care of the Beast," she said. Budo turned to her.

"Najenda, no disrespect, but I don't think Delsin is equipped to deal with this."

"I've seen him fight. He can do this." Delsin took a deep breath before turning to Budo.

"Swear to me you won't bring Night Raid into custody until I get back. There's a lot we need to talk about, and right now, survival is more important." Budo stared at him for a moment before nodding reluctantly. "Esdeath, no killing."

"Not in front of Cereza," she said, meeting his gaze as Reggie shot shrapnel at a nearby Danger Beast. "I need to get her out of here. Kurome, can your pet clear a path?"

"Already on it," shouted the young assassin. Delsin turned to Wave and Tatsumi.

"Protect them until you get out of this canyon, got it?"

"Right," said the two armored Imperial Arms wielders. He turned to Seryu, Akame and Chelsea who stared him down with determined expressions. He sighed.

"You're not leaving are you?"

"What do you think," asked Chelsea.

"Delsin, hurry," shouted Cole who shocked the Beast with a Lightning Strike from above.

"Ok… Here goes nothing…" Delsin focused on the Beast and those around him still in the canyon as the others started to retreat. Mine and Tatsumi worked in tandem to hold off a few Wyverns as Kurome and Wave cleared a path. Esdeath picked up her adopted daughter and followed after her fellow Jaegers with Bols' family not far behind. Budo used his sword and fought alongside Najenda and Susanoo while Reggie and Akame kept the Beasts Biomass tentacles at bay with their Shots. Seryu shot a High Pressure Burst at Shura's head as Cole lit it up with Sayo and Lubbock hurried to catch up with the retreating fighters. "Hold on!" A bright light surrounded them and the Beast as Shambhala activated and the same sigil that took him and Esdeath to the island appeared in the ground.

Shura looked around as he spotted they were no longer in the canyon. With how close they were to the clouds they must've been on a mountain, but there were no stones. Only metal and concrete. He turned to Delsin and growled. "Where are we?!" Delsin stood up straight as a helicopter flew into the air behind him and aimed its rockets at the people on top of the former headquarters of the DUP, especially at the unknown monster that seemed to be made of people.

"My world, asshole." Delsin fired a Cinder Rocket at the same time as Regina and both impacted with the Beasts face. Without anymore Danger Beasts to consume and the Conduits putting up more of a fight than he expected, Shura roared at them in anger.

"Uh, Dad," said Regina. Delsin turned around and spotted Leone was still with them with a Danger Beasts head in her claws. She looked around, disoriented before recognizing she was high in the sky without a Danger Beast or wings and blanched.

"I think Leone is afraid of heights," said Celia before she noticed something and moved behind the roof entrance.

"Dammit, one problem at a time."

"Mr. Rowe," sounded a voice over an intercom. He looked up at the chopper and saw a woman hanging out of the side of it. "Welcome home!"

"Who's that," asked Cole.

"No idea," said Delsin before turning back to the Beast and tackling Chelsea to the ground as a tentacle shot out at her.

"Take that thing down," shouted the woman. The chopper fired its rockets at the Beast, and several made impact with its chest. Delsin shot a Cinder Rocket to join the Barrage as Cole launched a Tesla Rocket at the Beasts head. Akame absorbed the air around her before shooting out her own heavy attack, a Gale Force Missile. Regina turned to Chelsea and Leone and helped them into the building to get them out of the fight, Celia close behind. More helicopters started flying to the building along with a couple of news copters to cover the ensuing fight on top of their building.

"Delsin," shouted Reggie. "I'm heading down below to get as many civilians away as possible. If that thing falls and the fight comes down to the streets, there are a lot of people down there who could get hurt.

"Go," he shouted. "And if he falls, get ready to keep him away from people!"

"On it!" Reggie turned on his armor and dropped to the streets below. He landed in front of a couple of police watching the fight from street level and asked them to help him maneuver people away from the fighting. Delsin drained a nearby antenna and grinned before firing Bloodthirsty Blades at the Beast. Shura roared and launched out tendrils towards the Conduits and the helicopters. The original chopper was hit and started spiraling. Delsin spotted a woman carrying a man, most likely the pilot, out of the cabin and started gliding to a nearby rooftop using Glass Thrusters.

"Was that glass?! I have got to get that Power!"

"Focus," shouted Seryu as she fired a High Pressure Shot at the Beast while Akame used Wind Shots to cut apart the tendrils before they hit anyone.

In Salman Bay, a woman about seventy years in age and a younger woman in her mid-twenties watched the news and saw the group of people fighting the giant mass of flesh on top of the old news building. When they saw one of them switch from using smoke digital the younger woman gasped slightly before turning to her companion. "Go," said the older woman. "I think he needs your help."

"Betty can you…"

"I'm on it. Go."

"Thank you," said Abigail 'Fetch' Walker as she ran from the Akomish longhouse to run for Seattle at her top speed as Betty watched a sleeping bundle by her side. Seryu groaned as she tried firing more water at the Beast, but nothing happened.

"Delsin," she shouted. "I'm out!"

"Head inside," he shouted before a rocket from a nearby chopper missed its target and landed at the Beast's feet. "Shit!"

"Not good," shouted Cole before draining a nearby fuse box and turning on his radio. "Reg. Heads up. Beast heading your way!"

"I see him," shouted Reggie over the radio. "I've got a surprise for him down here!" Delsin ran to the edge and saw a massive carpet of spikes rose from the ground. The Beast landed on the spikes and roared in anger as most of its biomass was shredded and died off. Delsin absorbed electricity from another source and turned to Cole.

"Thunder Drop, now!"

"Right behind ya!" Both Conduits jumped off of the building and built up lightning around them as they descended to the ground below. Akame followed after them, knowing her new Powers would protect her from any damage from the fall. Shura tried pulling himself off of the spikes before he saw the twin trails of lightning above him, as did anyone watching the news. In a nearby DUP truck, a man wearing sunglasses stood up abruptly before rushing for the building.

Cole and Delsin slammed on the Beast and burned away some biomass while shredding even more from the impact. Because of all of the damage he'd taken from the barrage on the roof, and the biomass he lost from the spikes, Shura was now half as big as he was before. He spotted a few people standing nearby and tried extending his arm to grab them and absorb them, only to shout as pink lights shot out and severed his arm. Delsin looked up and smiled as he saw a familiar head of pink hair on top of a building before the woman ran down to street level. Shura shouted out and Biomass exploded everywhere. The Conduits avoided the tendrils as well as moved civilians out of the way as Delsin pulled Fetch to the ground.

Director Samantha Evans watched the encounter as she floated down and watched as the unknown Conduit altered his face before running off. She dropped and fired a Glass Shard at the Conduit, pegging him in the leg. Delsin smiled as he looked Fetch in the eye. "Hi," he said.

"You don't call, you don't write," she said. "And then, poof, you pop out of nowhere. Hell of a way to surprise me."

"Eh, it was more of a flash, than a poof."

"Save the flirting for later," said Cole as he stood up and dusted himself off. "Where's the Beast?"

"That's the Beast," exclaimed Fetch.

"A Beast," said Delsin as he helped her up. "It's a long story." Fetch did a double take as she saw who had spoken and gaped like a fish out of water.

"That's…"

"Long story," said Reggie as he walked over. "I saw some glass shoot into Shura's leg as he tried running. Apparently, he can shape shift."

"Oh great," said Delsin. "He could be anywhere."

"This way," said Akame as she tracked the scent of blood. Leone, Chelsea and Seryu ran out of the building and Seryu sighed.

"My Power is way too limited," she moaned.

"Arf," said Koro as he pat her cheek from her shoulder.

"Where was he," asked Leone.

"Clinging to my back."

"Some grip," muttered Chelsea before turning around. "Hey, where's Regina and Celia?"

"They were right behind us," said Leone. "By the way, why was that building so tall?!"

"Overcompensating," asked Chelsea. Akame tackled a woman to the ground and held Murasame to her neck as Delsin and Fetch caught up to her.

"Someone help," shouted the woman.

"Drop your weapon," shouted police as they aimed at her.

"Get back," shouted Reggie as he dropped his armor. "Get back. If it's that thing, it could consume you to heal itself. Back up!" The officers exchanged looks before backing away, keeping their weapons trained on Akame.

"How did you find me," exclaimed Shura as he shifted back.

"Your clothes don't fit in," she said. "And your leg still has a few drops of blood. It was easy to pick out the scent on the wind."

"Damn you!" Delsin absorbed Ice from Gaea and froze Shura's body up to the neck to prevent him from shooting out more biomass before absorbing metal from a nearby car and slamming a metal boot into his head, knocking him out. He turned to the police.

"Hey guys," he panted. "Good to see ya."

"Delsin Rowe," asked one of them. Delsin nodded as he now started hearing the mutterings of the people around him as people recognized their hero.

"Well this feels familiar," said Cole as he crossed his arms. "Anyone else feeling a bit exposed out here?"

"Who's gonna attack us, huh," said Delsin. "We just took down a giant flesh monster."

"Yeah, a flesh monster you brought here."

"I'm sorry, what," asked Fetch as she turned to him.

"I took him far enough away from people," Delsin defended himself.

"And yet this was still reckless," said Seryu as she walked over. "Like everything you do." She turned to Fetch and smiled. "Fetch, right?"

"Seryu," she asked. Seryu saluted and smiled. Fetch blushed at the smile slightly and cleared her throat before turning to Delsin. "You are going to tell me what you've been up to, right?"

"Can we get out of the spotlight first," asked Cole. Technically I've been dead for eight years."

"Nine." Delsin turned to Fetch out of curiosity. "How long has it been since we last spoke?"

"It's been about four, maybe five, months," he said.

"For us it's been an entire year." Delsin stared at her for a moment before shaking his head.

"So then… I missed…"

"Missed wh…" Fetch's eyes widened as she realized what he was talking about. "You knew?!"

"We figured it out," said Seryu. "Though we had a little help."

"What help?" Seryu turned around and Fetch saw a woman who looked like her but with orange combined with the pink dye for her hair.

"Did Dad already say it was a long story," asked Regina.

"Wh… Dad…? Regina?!"

"Present." Regina smiled nervously at her mother.

"I think you broke her," said Reggie as he walked over.

"I know." Delsin looked up as a helicopter started coming down as police kept the civilians a small distance away. DUP Pawns picked up the unconscious Conduit and started bringing him onto the chopper.

"Careful," he said. "He's a Biomass Conduit. Make sure he stays away from any source of life. That's how he'll feed and heal. If you have an isolation chamber, stick him in one of those." The Pawns looked at Director Evans.

"Do as he says," she said.

"He's the other world's Beast," he muttered to her. She turned to him in surprise before looking at her men.

"Don't bring him to the main headquarters. Bring him to an offshore prison for the more dangerous Conduits." She turned to him and noticed who was beside him. "You're…"

"Yeah," said Cole. "Look, can we please leave before anyone else recognizes…"

"Cole," asked a familiar voice behind him. Cole turned around and spotted a face he never thought he'd see again.

"Zeke," he said. Cole frowned slightly. "Nine years and still the same bad taste in shirts."

"Son of a bitch… it really is you!" Delsin chuckled as he saw the overweight man crush Cole in a bearhug.

"Now that you're all reunited," said a voice beside Delsin. He looked next to him and spotted a small rift by his face. "I feel you should all rest up. I'll open a rift up so you can converse with those on the other side in a day there. I've already informed them."

"Is Budo staying true to his word," asked Delsin.

"He is. And Esdeath is glad to hear Shura is dealt with. Najenda is on edge, as are the rest of your friends. My plan needs to work. I'm close to making the time comparison 1-1 Right now, a week here will equal a day there. After a fight like this, I'd say a week is generous, wouldn't you agree?" Before Delsin could reply, the rift closed. Delsin sighed, grateful for some time to rest and not have to fully worry about things, especially with being reunited with Fetch. He pulled the Neon Conduit into his arms and kissed her, letting all other thoughts drift off.

* * *

**(Author's Notes)**

**Sorry for the hiatus on this story, guys. If you've read my Harry Potter story, Birth of Technomancy, you'd know what happened. Here's the quick version. I wasn't going to have a reliable computer to work with to upload for a while, so I was trying to focus on completing the First Year Arc in that story before that. Yeah… didn't happen. So I've been trying to keep ideas fresh in my mind since then the old-fashioned way, with a pen and paper. Sorry if this chapter feels a bit rushed. I realized how close I was to the end and the beginning of its sequel and kinda quickened my normal pace. As you can tell, I'm no longer following the tracks of normal cannon and have veered off course completely, so to speak. That's because things are about to slow down before the finale. I need to gather my wits and give you guys a climax to this story that you deserve. Before you click away from this, here's an excerpt from the sequel to, hopefully, pique your interests.**

* * *

He rushed forward past a police barricade and to his friend who was currently trapped in what could only be described as tar. His friend was in trouble, held hostage and no one was doing anything about it. He didn't have time to think. He just ran. He tried with all of his strength to pull his friend out of the man made of tar and quickly saw how futile it was. Instead of giving up, he just kept trying, only panicking as he saw his own arms starting to be pulled into the tar. He tried pulling away but realized all too late it was futile. He and Katsuki were about to be swallowed up by this man's tar and taken hostage so he could escape, and he was powerless to do anything about it. As he closed his eyes, about to accept his fate, a bright light caught his attention. He opened his eyes and saw the man was lifted into the air by… something.

Suddenly he could see. Something had pushed past the tar and opened it up, giving him room to breathe. He felt a hand on his wrist before being pulled out. Within the blink of an eye, he was on the ground again and by the police who seemed as dumbfounded as he was. Looking back, he spotted a jean jacket with a blue and white eagle facing him. The man wearing said jacket faced the man with the tar Quirk as he and Katsuki gasped for breath. The man spoke and instantly Izuku could tell he was American. The man said something he apparently thought was funny before he took off running, trailing light behind him like a tricked-out sports car in the middle of the night on a dark street. The criminal could barely register what was happening before the man dropped a ball of light at the man's feet. Izuku and Katsuki watched in fascination as the criminal was lifted into the air and started floating. The American grinned before raising his hand to the floating tar man. Light shot from his hand and hit the criminal in the chest. Light instantly wrapped around him and he was dropped to the ground.

The criminal tried to ooze out of the restraints but found he couldn't. _'How did he do that,'_ thought Izuku as the man chuckled softly nearby. _'Does that light he projects nullify Quirks? No, if it did that, he'd be flesh and bone again, not tar. Is it just normal restraints? How did he harden the light like that?'_ Izuku was pulled from his thoughts as one of the police asked to see the man's Hero License. When he didn't respond, the officer spoke again, this time in English. "Uh…" said the man before the police started scowling and most likely asked him to turn himself in. The man backed away from the police as the nearby heroes started moving closer to help apprehend him. Izuku watched as the strange gauntlets on his wrists started emitting smoke and stared with wide eyes as his hands started absorbing the smoke. The man conjured smoke in his hand before tossing it forward to the police and heroes. They looked down at it in surprise and confusion before it detonated and they all inhaled smoke. The man saluted to Izuku before turning to smoke and flying to a building before climbing up it at a rapid pace. Izuku Midoriya watched as he reached the roof before turning to smoke and dashing somewhere out of sight. The blue and white eagle the last thing he saw before turning around and spotting the hulking form of Allmight standing behind him and watching the where the man had drifted away, a surprisingly grim look in his eyes even though the smile was still present on his face.

* * *

**Until next time, Y'all!**


	19. Kill The Reunion

Delsin sighed as he stood in front of the long house, Reggie beside him. Reggie stared at the billboard with his face, picturing him as a hero. "You know," he said. "After all this time, I never thought to see this place again. And to see my face honored instead of made a fool of? Gotta say. I never expected to see this."

"You know Betty is going to have a cow, right," asked Delsin. "Seeing you come back from the dead may just make her heart give out."

"Well, I guess it's a good thing we're both Conduits who can help with that." Delsin turned to Fetch as she made her way to the long house. She turned to him.

"Come on, D. You had us both worried. Might as well apologize in person." She grinned at Reggie. "Though you might want to hang back until Delsin sees her first."

"Right. Wouldn't want to overwhelm her too much." Delsin breathed in slightly before following Fetch into the building. He spotted Betty pacing as she bounced a small bundle in her arms.

"Hey Betty. Look who's here." Betty turned around and smiled softly.

"Delsin," she said. "If you're going to run off again, could you please not scare the living begeezus out of us?"

"Sorry," apologized Delsin. "I didn't have much choice in the matter. Sorry I've been gone so long."

"Well now that you're here, you can say hello to your daughter, Delsin." Delsin gulped slightly before walking forward. Betty handed him the bundle and Delsin looked down. In his arm was a small baby a few months old and looking like he did with light skin like Fetch. She yawned in his arm and opened her light brown eyes. Delsin smiled down slightly at her. "Delsin, meet Regina Rowe. Fetch named her after your brother." Delsin's smile turned into a frown as Regina started crying. Fetch took her from him and smiled slightly at him.

"Don't worry," she said. "She's just not used to you yet. Give it time. I know she'll love you."

"Now," said Betty. "Why don't I make you something to eat? I think it's been a while since you've had normal food.

"Uh," said Delsin. "Before that. There're a few people I want you to meet, Betty."

"Your friends from the news, right?"

"Yeah. They're outside. I want you to meet them."

"Alright." Delsin led her outside and noticed Reggie wasn't anywhere in sight and frowned slightly before leading her to the members of Night Raid who came to this world with him.

"Betty, these girls are from Night Raid. They're friends of mine from the other world I was in. Leone, Seryu, Akame and Chelsea." Betty smiled and shook their hands.

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Betty," said Seryu with a smile. "Delsin told us you helped raise him and his brother after their parents died. I just want to say that you raised a fine young man."

"Thank you, Seryu, right?"

"Yes ma'am." She saluted. "Commander Seryu Ubiquitous of the Imperial Guard. I've been working closely with Delsin trying to make my home a better place for everyone."

"I hope Delsin hasn't been too much of a handful."

"Betty," groaned Delsin.

"He's only whined about being called the Banner Man." Betty chuckled as Delsin huffed.

"Just once I'd like to be called something cool. Banner Man just sounds like a lame 50's song."

"I'll have you know there were a lot of hip songs back then, Delsin," said Betty with a grin. She turned to the other girls and Akame stepped forward and shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you. Your name is Akame?"

"Yes ma'am," she said. Before anyone else could stop her, she blurted out. "I'm an assassin." Betty stared at her for a moment.

"Well. I assume it must pay well."

"Akame," said Leone. "We need to have a talk about tact." The assassin stared at her friend in confusion before Chelsea laughed nervously.

"Um… technically the only ones not assassins out of all of us are Delsin and Seryu. We've been fighting a civil war and our job is to eliminate anyone who would've gotten in the way of peace."

"I'm sensing some conflict of interest," said Betty.

"Yeah," said Delsin. "It's been an interesting few months. There's someone else I want you to see." He turned to Seryu. "Where's…?" She nodded to the docks. Delsin turned around and spotted Reggie staring out at the waves. He chuckled slightly before leading Betty to the docks. Betty paused as they were within a few feet. Not sure she was seeing exactly what was right in front of her eyes.

"You know," said Reggie. "Not knowing if I was ever going to see home anymore was kind of unnerving. But now that I'm back…" He turned around and faced Betty who started tearing up. "…It's the best feeling in the world." He smiled.

"Reggie," she asked.

"Hey, Betty." He moved forward. Betty reached out slowly and placed a hand on his cheek, as if trying to see if this was real. After a moment, she smiled and started crying, pulling him into a hug. "I'm home." Delsin smiled as he saw Fetch walking over, Regina in her arms.

"Something's missing," he said.

"Maybe it's your best friend," said Fetch.

"Shit. I forgot about Eugene!"

"Delsin," said Betty. "Watch your language. Especially around Regina. I know I taught you better than that." Delsin winced and glanced at Fetch who chuckled slightly while she carried their daughter. Their Daughter. Until now, Regina had been a young woman to Delsin. A time traveler who came to the past to help him save both of the worlds he considered home. To see her as a baby meant that there was definitely no doubt about the future. He walked over to Fetch and kissed her lightly before kissing Regina on the forehead as she slept. Fetch handed him her phone and grinned.

"The geek is on a honeymoon, but I'm sure he'd be overjoyed to see you again."

"Honeymoon?! He got married?!"

"Shh!" Delsin winced again and glanced down at Regina who stirred slightly but didn't wake up.

"Yes. He got married. He and Amalia got married last month. He was bummed you couldn't be here to see it."

"There's got to be something I can do to…" He turned to her and held up his new Imperial Arm. "Where are they, exactly?"

* * *

Eugene and Amalia sighed in content as they sat on the beach in lounge chairs. "Are you sure this is ok," asked Eugene.

"Hey," said Amalia. "Sam said we were cleared for a vacation. With the defectors finally rounded up and Conduit reintegration into society starting to get underway, we aren't needed for a while. Seattle is safe. And we deserve some time to relax."

"No, I know that. I meant are you sure it's alright to be here?"

"Oh! Yeah! My mom owns this resort. Officially it's closed down for renovations and it only has a minimal amount of staff to make sure we're relaxed. We're good."

"Did I hear that right," asked a voice behind them both. "Her mom is loaded?" Eugene turned around and stared as Delsin stood behind them with a grin. "Damn man. Who knew you'd be this lucky?"

"Delsin," he shouted before flying towards the Mimic. Delsin grinned and met Eugene in a bro hug before chuckling.

"Hey, Eugene!"

"You're back!"

"Just got back a few hours ago. Fetch told me about the wedding man! Congrats!"

"Wait. You said you just got back a few hours ago," asked Amalia as she stood up and walked over to them. Delsin couldn't help but stare slightly at the beauty in front of him. "Your Conduit abilities aren't enough to fly you all the way here in just a few hours. How the hell are you here?"

"Delsin," said Eugene with a smile. "You've got Fetch. Stop staring at my wife." Delsin shook his head slightly and turned to Eugene.

"How the hell…?"

"Guess I'm just lucky."

"Answer my question," shouted Amalia. "You owe us that much for missing the wedding!"

"Alright. Keep your bikini on. Or take it off if you want." Delsin ducked under a Bloodthirsty Blade and grinned at Eugene before holding up Shambhala. "This is how." He activated the Imperial Arm and teleported them to Salmon Bay. Amalia blinked before looking around and seeing they were back in Washington.

"What?! How?! WHAT?!"

"The world I was in had these things called Imperial Arms. Weapons that can defy our normal logic. Shambhala here can teleport things wherever I want. While Gaea, my gauntlets, allow me to conjure different elements. Lightning, ice, you name it." Amalia took Shambhala and examined it, trying to find any kind of circuitry and wiring to see if she could replicate the power of the Imperial Arm but stopped as she examined it closely.

"Is-is this bone?!"

"Yeah."

"No. No, no, no! This can't be possible! Teleportation should only be possible using technology! This… this is…"

"An Imperial Arm," said Leone. "Hi."

"Who are you?"

"Name's Leone. Yeah, Delsin mentioned how things were different between our worlds. Incredibly different apparently."

"Our world has something called Danger Beasts," said Chelsea. "They, as well as their parts, can do incredible things. Like my Imperial Arm, Gaea Foundation." She smiled and altered her appearance instantly to look like Amalia currently did. Eugene and Amalia stared slightly before she turned back.

"Yeah," said Delsin. "It can even make her look like a cat. Changes her height and everything." Chelsea noticed a blush creep on Fetch's face slightly at the implications and chuckled. "Things on that world are insane and dangerous. Giant Danger Beasts, weapons that can kill someone in a heartbeat. And now Conduits as well."

"What," asked Fetch. Seryu smiled slightly and absorbed the water nearby, turning her hand into water itself as she did.

"The plans for the Ray Sphere did get into the wrong hands. A madman by the name of Stylish. He got the crazy idea to make the Ray Sphere using Danger Beast parts. There are people who were caught in the blast who were still asleep when we left."

"But that puts them in danger," said Amalia.

"Yeah. But they've been asleep for about a month now. Normal people would've died by now in that world. No modern technology to keep them alive. But they're Conduits. They have our healing abilities. And once they figure out what their Powers are they can heal even faster."

"Is a Conduit's body able to heal enough to make sure they don't die of hunger or dehydration? I very highly doubt that."

"Well, apparently it is enough," said Leone. "When Seryu was unconscious, Delsin was by her side and Akame's pretty much the whole time. Barely ate or slept until he knew they were alright." Eugene looked at him in surprise as Delsin coughed slightly. Fetch looked at the three young women beside him and quirked an eyebrow before turning to him. Delsin nodded, knowing they'd need to talk soon. Something he'd been aware of since Seryu first said she was in love with him. "Now hopefully his brother is at least half the man he is. Then I'll be in business…"

"His brother," asked Eugene. "But Reggie's…"

"Hey Delsin," shouted Reggie as he jogged over. "Director Evans just called Fetch's phone. Apparently they found Celia. We need to help her."

"Dammit," said Delsin. "I'm on it."

"Reggie," asked Eugene. Reggie looked at him and smiled.

"Hey, Eugene," he said before shaking the young man's hand. "Thanks for looking after my brother for me."

"Looking after me," asked Delsin.

"Don't play dumb. We both know you get yourself into more trouble than your worth."

"I'll go with you guys," said Fetch. "I'll leave Regina with…"

"I'll take her," said Seryu. She smiled at Fetch. "You two have some catching up to do. Besides, I don't quite know how to propel myself with my Powers yet." She glanced at Fetch before kissing Delsin on the cheek.

"Before you go," said Amalia. Delsin turned to her and saw she was hiding her body from onlookers behind Eugene. "Would you mind sending us back to our vacation, please? I'm not exactly dressed for Washington weather, right now.

"Right," he said. "Sorry. Kinda got lost in showing off my new toy. Stand still you two." Delsin held up Shambhala and teleported the two back to the beach they were on. "Man, I love this thing!"

"Don't overdo it," said Reggie. "We still don't know if your body can handle multiple Imperial Arms at once."

"I'll take it easy. Besides, we still need it for the fight against the Beast." He turned to Fetch. "Care for a race?"

"If you can keep up," she said with a grin. "I doubt you've had a lot of practice with Neon since you've been gone." Fetch took off and Delsin grinned before matching her speed.

"Delsin wai…" started Reggie before sighing. "Every time." He pulled up his phone and dialed Delsin as he walked to where the parking lot was. "Yeah, you forgot two things. One, I'm not as fast as you and two, you don't know where to go!" Seryu smiled as she held baby Regina and let her hold her finger.

"Your uncle and daddy are funny, aren't they?" She giggled as Regina gurgled with a toothless smile at her as Akame and Chelsea leaned in to see the baby as well.

* * *

Celia sat atop the Space Needle and sighed as she heard the familiar sound of Delsin's Lightspeed land next to her and turned to see him and Fetch standing nearby. "Hey, Delsin," she said. "DUP sent you?"

"Yeah. You may have changed in the Empire…"

"But I still owe a sentence here, I know. Just wanted one last breath of freedom before turning myself in."

"Turning yourself in," asked Delsin. "No, no. We need you to help fight the Beast."

"Delsin," said Fetch.

"We barely held off Shura and he was a newb. Kessler's Beast has decades of experience. And only Kessler knows what his Power is but won't say shit!" Delsin shouted the last part into the air and turned to Celia. "We need you. I'll talk with the new Director, see if I can hold off on your sentence until after the Beast is dealt with."

"That's not your call." Delsin turned to Fetch. "Delsin, since you've been gone, things have changed. The Conduits are freed and some of them have joined the DUP to help protect against the Conduits who are still resentful of society and are doing harm. I'm one of them. Celia was imprisoned and escaped her cell. She needs to go back."

"Fetch, we need as much help as we can get! You hadn't seen what he can do! I have! And it's deadly! I don't even know what it is he actually did! We need her, Esdeath, maybe even Augustine! He's close to Seryu and Akame's world and with Kessler keeping the worlds in sync with each other if the Beast gets there, he can come here! We need to fight him on our terms!"

"You still don't get to make that call! Listen, D. I get we need all the firepower we can get, but things need to be done a certain way. For right now, Celia needs to be put back into her cell. If the Beast comes, then we can let her out. But there's no way in hell I'm letting Augustine out, no matter what you say."

"Fetch…"

"No, Delsin! You know what she did to me! What she did to all of us in Curdan Cay! If you think I'm going to let her out, even to help against the Beast, the answer is no. There's a chance she'll use the first opportunity to escape, and I'm not about to let her go." Delsin stared at his first girlfriend and saw her on the verge of tears. He sighed before scratching the back of his head.

"Ok… ok. We won't let her out. But can I at least speak with her? And Celia too?" Fetch looked at him before wiping away her tears.

"I'll talk with Samantha about it. But Celia needs to come in first. That's the only condition."

"That's fine," said Celia. Delsin turned to her in surprise. "Delsin, I was already going to turn myself in. Even with the Beast a major threat, we need everyone we can get, and I was going to help even if I needed to be locked up again. If your girlfriend can convince the Director to let me help, that's easier on everyone. I'll go willingly, Fetch." Delsin sighed.

"Good. We're going to bring you to Director Evans and discuss what happens then. Thank you for cooperating, Celia."

"Better than fighting tooth and nail when there's nothing for me to do. Let's go." The Paper Conduit followed the two Neon Conduits down and allowed herself to be put into restraints by nearby police officers so she could be taken to the police station where the Director had decided to establish a temporary presence to help making things easier when dealing with criminal Conduits and the police.

Delsin looked at the woman who he met a few hours earlier and nodded as she stood up from the desk she was sitting at and smiled at them. "Fetch," she said. "How much of a fight did she put up this time?"

"None," said Fetch. "Apparently, whatever happened on their side caused her to have a change of heart on how she acted in the past. My guess is Delsin had a talk with her."

"You'd be right," said Delsin.

"Well, at least this will be simple then," said Samantha. She formed glass restraints around Celia's hands and had a couple of police officers escort her to a cell. "Mr. Rowe, thank you for your cooperation in this matter."

"It comes with a couple of requests."

"Oh?"

"Delsin," warned Fetch.

"Yeah," continued Delsin. "But this needs to be talked about in private."

"Then both of you follow me," said Samantha as she took them into the office of the Chief of Police who looked up as they walked in.

"Delsin Rowe," he said with a smile. "The Bannerman himself!" Delsin groaned as his hated name resurfaced.

"I hate that name," he said.

"Director Evans. Do you want me to leave?"

"Actually, you should be here for this as well, if only to offer an opinion about how to best go about what I need to ask and say." The police chief nodded in surprise and gestured for them to sit as Samantha stood beside him.

"So, Mr. Rowe," said Samantha. "What conditions do you have about Celia Penderghast's capture?" The chief looked at him in surprise.

"Chief. Here's what you need to know to be brought into the loop." Delsin told them both about Kessler's warnings about the Beast. About what he saw in the Alternate Empire and how they'd need as many Conduits as possible to help fight the Beast.

"And your conditions?"

"Celia needs to be released for a short amount of time to help fight the Beast. Also, me and Celia would like to pay a visit to Augustine."

"Why?"

"Celia to get closure, me so I can learn all I can about her Power and fully utilize it. The rest of my Powers I've been able to learn just fine and have been training with them on how to better control and use them thanks to a… friend of mine in the other world. Concrete has been a major hurdle for me. I've been able to make large finishing moves with the rest of the Powers, but Concrete is more difficult. I figured if anyone could help me better control it, it would be Augustine since it's her Power. That's how I managed to learn Neon and Video so quickly, from Fetch and Eugene."

"And Smoke?"

"I learned it on my own since Augustine locked up… oh god I forgot about Hank! How is he?!"

"Hank is still in a coma, unfortunately," said Fetch. "The Beast hurt him very badly. His daughter's been visiting him constantly in the last year and the DUP has been funding his care, so his daughter is put at ease. We've been monitoring him daily in case he had any news about the Beast." Delsin sighed and pulled off his beanie before starting to pace. He'd hoped that Hank would've been back home to care for his daughter by the time he returned, but now after learning, he was just glad the old convict was alive.

"Can I go see him? I want to make sure he's fine."

"I'll take you to go see him later. For now we need to finish this discussion." She turned to Samantha. The Director thought for a moment.

"Chief Simmons. What are your thoughts about all of this?"

"I think," said Simmons. "That this whole situation is beyond me. At the most, I can help cordon off a section of the city for when this plan is supposed to fall in place, limit the civilian casualties if it turns into an all-out war between ally Conduits and this Beast. As for Penderghast, if you need her to help fight this thing, I can grant a 24 leave for her. After which, she'll be escorted back to her cell to finish her sentence."

"That's provided we don't move her back to Curdan Cay." Samantha turned to Delsin. "Alright then, I'll offer the same, provided… you bring her back yourself, Delsin. She's your responsibility. Regarding the Augustine visits…" She thought for a moment. "I can allow Celia to visit her after the fight with the Beast. You can visit her before then. And when you're done learning from her, report back to me. If we need as much as we can dish out, then you'll need my Power as well. Though, you'll need to find some Blast Cores to help evolve it, from what Fetch has told me."

"Thank you," said Delsin. "At least this will put me at ease for a little while. As for the Blast Cores, we have that handled. The Empire suffered a Blast not that long ago. Cores and Shards aplenty there. No plague, so that's a plus."

"Do they need assistance?"

"That would be ill advised," said Kessler as a small rift opened between them. "The less people who are made aware of the other worlds, the better. This limits the chance of unsanctioned travel between worlds and potential conflict over resources and other such matters. As much as they require aid, they must be left alone."

"Now hold on," said Simmons. "We can't just let them suffer! We here on this side have been through two Blasts! We know what they're going through!"

"And as admirable as wanting to help is, it's not up to me, nor is it up to you. I can't explain more than that, I'm afraid. And besides, with the Blast things can start to calm down. Their Empire was in the middle of a civil war, one Delsin has been trying to stop. The tragedy of the Blast is enough to start building bridges and righting wrongs caused by the now deceased Minister. Delsin has been making allies on both sides and can help them along to further peace talks between the Empire and Revolutionary Army. It won't all happen at once, but at least it can have a start here. Especially when news of the Minister's involvement in this incident as well as several people who continuously backed him."

"What," asked Delsin.

"I may have let some falsities slip into the ears of prominent figures of the Empire to bring the more sinister elements to justice in light of your contributions to the Guard."

"That's sneaky," said Fetch.

"Well, certain things need to be handled in more discrete ways than blasting people with lasers, Ms. Walker." The rift closed and Delsin shook his head before turning to the Chief who stared at where the Rift previously was before leaning back in his seat and rubbing his temples.

"I need a drink after this," he muttered. Delsin chuckled before turning to Samantha.

"I guess that's about it," he said. The Director nodded and followed them out of the office before letting them go about their business, thoughts lingering on how best to contain the situation.


	20. Kill The Downtime

Delsin fidgeted on his feet as he waited for the guards to bring Augustine before him. He was not looking forward to this meeting. Yes, he needed to get stronger without relying on the Blast Cores completely, but that meant learning all he could about Concrete from its original user. And he was not looking forward to this reunion. Delsin looked up as he heard the sound of footsteps and spotted his one-time nemesis, Brooke Augustine, the Conduit Traitor and former head of the DUP. "Delsin Rowe," she said. "I suppose I should be grateful that you decided to pay me a visit."

"Yeah," said Delsin. "This isn't a curtesy call."

"I'm sure. So, why am I here?"

"Do you want the short or the long version?"

"Seeing as my time is spent mainly in my cell, the choice is yours."

"Right. What do you know about Kessler?"

"Deceased leader of the now defunct First Sons. Inventor of the Ray Sphere and real reason for the Blast in Central City that Cole MacGrath was blamed for. Why?"

"Do you know who he really is?"

"Should I?"

"It will make this easier. Let's just start from there. Kessler _is_ Cole MacGrath."

"What?"

"He was from an alternate timeline. The Beast of his time is not the same as the one that destroyed Empire City and countless others on its trek to New Marais where Cole killed it. Kessler's Beast was… is… still alive."

"But if what you're saying is true, as farfetched as it sounds, then it's not our problem."

"Yeah, well Kessler made it our problem. When the Beast killed Cole's family in the original timeline, he used his Power to travel back in time."

"How?"

"He controls lightning, right? And certain Conduits can turn into the elements they use, right? Let's assume Cole's full mastery of his Power can finally let him do this. He could potentially move at the speed of light or faster."

"You mean he turned into lightning to travel through time?"

"That's the best I can come up with, he's not telling me anytime soon. Recently, we discovered that Kessler's trip caused a sort of rift in Time and Space. I know this because I spent the last few months in another world where I only had access to Smoke, Paper, and Concrete."

"You copied Celia's Power?"

"Wow, that sounds like concern in your voice."

"It is. Despite what I did, she's still a daughter to me."

"And yet you turned her into a killer!"

"I know!" Augustine glared at him before turning away. "I know." She faced him again. "Is she…"

"In a cell in a local police department. She turned herself in after her time helping me in the other world. It was there that we learned that the Beast from Kessler's timeline has been using the rifts to travel to different worlds. It's already destroyed five worlds that we know of. It's going to the other next before coming here. I need to better learn your ability before I can fight it."

"You're going to fight the Beast?"

"I've gotten stronger with all of the elements I've copied so far except for yours."

"You came here to ask me to train you."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I…" Delsin sighed as he rolled his neck before looking her in the eye. "Fetch and I have a daughter. I have to protect them and everyone else as well! I don't want our world to end up like Kessler's! I need to stop the Beast! Please help me!" Augustine stared at him for a moment before sighing.

"Even in the face of destruction, you still hold true to your morals, Delsin. I hope that is enough to beat the Beast. Alright. I'll help you."

"Thank you." He looked at the guards. "Can you take us to the Power testing area and remove her cuffs when we get there?"

"Director Evans stated that you might ask that. We've been authorized to monitor the training session for a set amount of time until your power evolves," said one of the guards.

"Thank you." Delsin sighed as he followed after them and thought about the Beast. Kessler's Beast seemed to be one with Sonic Powers. A single shout killed the Alternate Esdeath and Beast-Seryu. He'd need to move fast and try and copy the Beast's Power as soon as possible and force evolve it with Blast Cores. The Empire had about thirteen left after Delsin drained a few to evolve Wind, Water and Fire from Akame, Seryu and Ayumi respectively to help them learn of their powers. He'd need to absorb and learn more powers just to make a dent if the Beast was as powerful and deranged as Kessler made it out to be. He stopped his thinking as they finally came to a large arena like room with platforms and pillars lining the place. Hologram emitters, based on Eugene's Power, spotting the room here and there.

"One of us will remain in the room to monitor her and restrain her if things go south, Mr. Rowe. The other will be outside, making sure she doesn't escape."

"Good. As much as I need her help, I can't trust her."

"I won't run," said Augustine. "Where would I go?" Delsin shook his head as they removed the restraints. Crates filled with concrete slabs and rubble were lowered into the room from lifts and Delsin moved them off before the lifts rose back into the ceiling. "They were used to train the Force Conduits under my command. We'll use them to refresh our power." Delsin absorbed Concrete from Gaea and grinned before climbing up to a platform.

"Where do we start?" Augustine grinned slightly before creating a platform under her feet and lifting her into the air with concrete shooting from below the platform.

"How about something familiar?!"

"Ah, sonofabitch." Delsin rolled to the side and exclaimed as Augustine launched a slab in his direction.

* * *

**(Longhouse)**

Fetch smiled as Chelsea bounced Baby Regina on her knee. "So let me get this straight," said Fetch with a grin. "All three of you are in love with D?"

"That's right," said Chelsea as she turned her head into a cat-like one and mewed for Regina who laughed and touched her fur. "After working with Delsin for months we kind of developed feelings for him."

"Kind of?"

"We certainly did," said Seryu as she sipped her tea. "And we haven't done anything more than kissing. Delsin said he wanted to fully consult you on this. We weren't sure if you were serious about the whole… other girls thing you mentioned." Fetch noticed a light blush on the Guard's face and chuckled before walking over to her. Seryu looked up at her and blushed darker as Fetch planted a kiss on her lips. Chelsea blushed as well and Akame tilted her head in confusion.

"Look, me and D? There are no secrets, no trust issues. If he cares for you, that's enough. But, yeah. Sharing him with all of you will be fun." Akame blinked in confusion as Seryu stammered out a reply and the door to the longhouse opened, revealing Eugene and Amalia.

"And we're back," shouted Amalia. "Early."

"Sorry," said Eugene. "I burn very easily. Plus, Delsin's back!

"Hey, Geek," said Fetch. "Super-Geek."

"Which one's which," asked Chelsea.

"Super-Geek would be me," said Amalia.

"Where's Delsin," asked Eugene.

"Curdan Cay," said Fetch. "Learning all he can from Augustine about his Concrete Power."

"For the Beast, right?" Seryu nodded.

"Delsin's seen what it can do," she said. "And he wants to make sure that we all survive this."

"Arf," barked Koro as he climbed onto Seryu's head.

"What is that," asked Amalia.

"This is Koro! My Imperial Arms!" Seryu pulled Koro into her arms.

"Like that thing Delsin has that defies all known laws of science?" Chelsea blinked as Amalia grumbled.

"She's just upset that she can't study its internal components. She thought that she'd be able to replicate its power but with it being nothing but bone…"

"It makes no sense!" Eugene chuckled before pulling her into a hug as she pouted.

"Maybe you can study Akame's sword," said Seryu. Akame jumped slightly at the mention of her name as she eyed a piece of fake fruit nearby.

"What," she asked.

"Why would I want to examine a sword," asked Amalia.

"Murasame can kill any living thing with just a scratch." Akame pulled out her katana and moved it from Regina as the baby tried to grab the shiny object.

"Almost any living thing," said Chelsea. "It's still trying to kill Delsin. Poor guy can't use his Smoke anymore because of it."

"What," exclaimed Fetch.

"Oops."

"When I first met Delsin," said Akame, her face sullen. "Night Raid was on a job. He was protecting Tatsumi, now our friend and teammate, at the time and my blade nicked his hand. His rapid healing has kept it at bay but the more he uses his smoke, the more the cursed poison adapts and works its way to his heart."

"So you need me to try and find a cure," said Amalia with a sigh. "Ok. Let me see the sword. How does it work? Is there a dispense button or…"

"Just slash anything with a heart." Amalia rubbed the bridge between her eyes.

"Makes even less sense… Ok. Let's see what I can do."

"So it was an accident," asked Fetch. Akame nodded and Fetch sighed in relief. She looked at them.

"He's been dealing with this since he arrived in your world," asked Fetch.

"Just about," said Seryu. "I didn't learn about it until I started working with Night Raid. Delsin hid it from me so I wouldn't know he was associated with them."

"We've been waiting to get here to try and find a cure," said Chelsea. "It only affects him when he's using Smoke."

"Interesting," said Amalia. "And it hasn't shown in any of his other Powers?"

"Not that we know of," said Seryu.

"I wonder why…" Amalia picked up her phone as it rang and answered it. "Moshi moshi." Eugene smiled as she took her phone call outside.

"Where did she learn that," asked Akame.

"Japanese," asked Eugene. "Her mother insisted she learn various languages for when she does business deals in her stead. Why?"

"Looks like our worlds share more than one language," said Chelsea. "What are the odds?"

"High. According to Amalia, there are just as many worlds who speak the same language as there are that don't, according to the Multiverse Theory."

"Don't get started with that," said Fetch as she took Regina from Chelsea. "It's confusing as heck."

"Where's Reggie," asked Eugene.

"Grocery shopping for Betty. Said it was the least he could do for being gone as long as he was, Leone went with him."

"And Cole?"

"Catching up with Zeke," said Seryu. "Though, I think it's hard for both of them."

"I can imagine. Zeke said he and Cole were more than just best friends, they were brothers. Zeke spent the last few months trying to help Amalia work on a machine to try and get through to your world. Almost killed himself doing so because he thought he'd see Cole again."

"Wonder what they're doing."

* * *

**(Random Bar)**

Cole zapped a random jukebox and a somber tone filled the bar. **(Fade Away InFAMOUS 2 OST)** The Electric Man ignored the pictures people took of him before sipping the bottle in his hand as Zeke sipped at his own. Neither of them said anything. It was hard to even agree to get a drink. Zeke had spent the last eight, almost nine years, thinking his best friend, his brother, was dead, Cole had moved on to a new life in a new world. What could you say? Cole zapped the television above them and grinned as it was already showing a western movie, one of their favorites. Cole leaned back in his seat and put his feet up on the bar out of habit. The bartender, a survivor from the Empire Event, allowed it and went back to serving a few other patrons as Zeke chuckled. "Love this part," he said.

"Classic," said Cole. Reminiscent of their last moments before the final push against the Beast, they watched the movie in its entirety. "Sorry."

"It's fine. Blame Kessler, not you."

"Kessler is me."

"Yeah, but you know… a different you."

"Doesn't mean I'm excused. Hell my wife would kill me for not at least apologizing."

"You married?"

"Yeah. Her name's Caitlin. Ice Metahuman."

"You and ice babes, man. Trish, Ice Queen in school, I was sure you had a thing for Kuo back in New Marais. Now this Caitlin girl."

"We got two daughters. Lucy and Amy."

"For Kuo and then Trish's sister."

"Yeah. Got another kid on the way as well. Emma's thinking a boy, gonna name him Jason."

"Now I feel offended."

"Jason Jedediah MacGrath."

"Ok, less offended now." Cole chuckled before they sipped their beer again and he sighed. "When this is all said and done…"

"I know brother. I'll find your folks, tell them you said hi."

"Don't. Did they even attend the funeral?"

"They did. Your pops was proud of the man you became. Your brother was shocked you were gone and your ma… well she spent days crying."

"Where's the other me buried?"

"Right next to Trish, brother."

"Thanks."

"That's what brothers are for, man." Cole chuckled.

"You know…"

"Don't say it, Cole. I got a life here."

"I know. But it wouldn't help to suggest it. Get things back to normal."

"Normal died with the Blast. Kessler changed the world. And we paid for it. I'm happy to see you again, brother. But we've both moved on from when we last saw each other. Wouldn't be right to pull either of us from our new lives. Just make the most of what time we have left."

"Sounds like a plan. Hell, might as well get the guys and do just that."

"What, you mean Delsin and the others?"

"Yeah. Delsin's got that Imperial Arm, we could go down to New Marais just in time for Pyre Night."

"Brother, I like the way you think. Last time we were busy saving the world to really enjoy ourselves. Now we can spend some time enjoying the three B's!"

"Hey, leave the second B out of it, Zeke. Just Beer and Mechanical Bulls."

"I hear ya. What about burgers?"

"Really? You burgers and bulls don't make the best combination."

"Hey, I got a better constitution than I did back then."

"Yeah, but you're older. Add beer to the mix and I am not cleaning up after you."

"I can keep it down better than most."

"That's nothing to brag about, Zeke."

"I'll brag if I want, man." Cole chuckled and clinked his bottle with Zeke's before taking another sip.

* * *

**(Curdan Cay)**

Delsin grunted as he lifted himself into the air with a platform matching Augustine's and launched it at the former director with him on top of it. Augustine shot it down and hit Delsin with another barrage of Concrete. Delsin grunted and absorbed the Concrete dust in the air to heal up before Dashing forward to avoid another barrage. He launched a missile at her, and it knocked away her revolving concrete barrier. Delsin grunted and tried forming a large boulder above his head, only for it to collapse as he dropped to a knee and panted. "You're reluctant to use my ability," said Augustine. "Why?"

"I don't know!" Delsin punched the ground and caused a shockwave in the ground. "Out of all of my powers, this one has been giving me the most trouble and even absorbing another Blast Core while using Concrete hasn't allowed me to do more than make a wall to block incoming fire. But I still have more problems with this Power! I don't have a fine control! I can't adapt it! It's so…"

"Difficult. Unlike the other elements and even Glass, Concrete is more stubborn. It's not malleable. It's easy to use but nearly impossible to adapt. You just need to make use of the Power in creative ways."

"Like that rock monster thing you used?"

"That's one way. Another way is to find a simpler means of controlling it. You don't have all of my abilities, you simply copied them. You should try something smaller."

"Like what?"

"That's up to you. You already have an armor while Dashing, try something similar."

"I've been trying. I want to make the armor slimmer to increase my range of movement."

"It's armor. You'd be sacrificing major defenses."

"But I do better when I can outmaneuver around my enemies. I don't plan on running headfirst at someone doing barely any damage."

"Then think of something else. You can evolve it through stressful circumstances or working out your Power. This is something we did with the former prisoners here."

"You mean the prisoners you wrongfully imprisoned in the attempt at saving them?"

"I protected more of our kind in the seven years as director than anyone else could have. I kept them safe."

"You took them from their families!"

"It was better than them and their families being killed by fearful and hateful people blaming us for the Beast!"

"There had to have been better ways! A lot of the Conduits who survived the RFI were kids!"

"And their Powers hadn't activated. How would they have survived?!" Delsin turned away from her, not wanting to answer that question. He could debate right and wrong all day, but he had to agree, she had done what she did to save lives. As wrong as her attempts seemed and as immoral as her methods were, they worked. "This wasn't a matter of right and wrong! It was saving as many people as I could, if that meant taking away their freedom, then so be it." Delsin shook his head before growling and shooting a burst of concrete at her. Augustine gasped as she noticed the concrete was more jagged than before and darker in shade. She created a wall between them and watched as it melted from the superheated concrete and smoke started rising from the slabs. She looked at Delsin and spotted his hand smoking and concrete circling his arm. "You just combined your Powers!" Delsin stared at his hand and spotted the markings from Murasame starting to spread. Delsin absorbed Concrete and the smoke and markings receded. Delsin shook his head before turning to the guard.

"We're done here." Delsin walked away as Augustine was cuffed and brought back to her cell. He looked at his hands and sighed as the curse marks didn't appear on them in his Concrete Power. He absorbed the Air around him and watched as they disappeared before using Shambhala to teleport himself back to Salmon Bay and his friends and family.

Upon arrival, Delsin was met by a rift and glared at it. "What do you want, Kessler?"

"Come with me," said the echo of the future Cole MacGrath. Delsin shook his head and stepped through the rift. When he landed, he noticed he was in a city he'd never been to at the top of a parking garage.

"Where am I?"

"Empire City, the day of the Blast."

"Ok, why are we here?"

"I'm giving you a choice, Delsin. When a Conduit is exposed to the energy emitted by the Ray Sphere, their Power evolves and continues to evolve with each exposure to the Sphere."

"Yeah, at the cost of everyone in the vicinity of the Blast! Cole and even the Conduits from the Imperial Blast said they heard the cries of all the people caught in the explosion in their head as their bodies absorbed the neuroelectric energy! I'm not doing this!"

"It may be the only means of you gaining enough power to defeat the Beast!"

"No. Too many lives have already been lost. I don't care if this is just past events, I won't do it, I won't take the lives of others to better myself."

"Sticking with your morals to the end. You may not survive the encounter with the Beast."

"Regina says the Beast is defeated in her time. I'll be fine." Kessler said nothing before moving Delsin to a distance outside the Blast.

"Watch." Delsin shook his head before sighing and watching as the Blast went off. As much as he wanted to help, Conduits like him didn't exist before then with few exceptions. He would draw too much unwanted attention at this point in time. "Your self-control is commendable."

"Time travel rules. Don't interfere with events you know need to happen. Especially not when you could cause more harm than good. Conduits aren't known yet. Why am I seeing this?"

"To understand the scope of what the Beast can do. The Blast, as you know, is what usually causes the Beast. John White was born by being absorbed by the Ray Sphere and reformed himself atom by atom. He was not the Beast I had prepared Cole for, but he was a Beast, nonetheless. When Cole stopped him, it caused several Conduits to die off, but I didn't account for the divergent genetic traits that resided in you and the other Conduits post-RFI."

"The real Beast? Your Beast?"

"Dead. Before the Blast."

"What?"

"Constants and variables. I arrived in the 1920's. An activated Conduit gene can sometimes slow the aging process at a certain point in time."

"Explains why Cole said you looked about in your 60's."

"My appearance in the Timeline caused a chain reaction of events I was unaware of until this version of me, my echo, monitored the rifts created by my Power."

"So who was he?"

"…A good man, once upon a time. Upon activation of his Conduit gene, his mind spiraled, put further into distress by the undoing of his life. And he gave in to his darker impulses, feeding the Skulled Bird, as you put it to Esdeath."

"Gave in to his darker impulses?"

"When the Conduit Gene is activated, it can cause distortions in the mind. A separation of a sense of right and wrong. Karmic energies, essentially."

"Like when my powers grow darker when I get angry."

"That's only a minor effect of the Karmic Energy. The more you act on violent and selfish impulses, the more your powers adjust to your state of mind. And the more your mind adjusts to your powers, making you more prone to violent outbursts and psychotic tendencies, your physical appearance also twists and makes you angrier. It's a never-ending loop."

"So the guy that became your Beast went down this path?"

"You have to understand, when life pushes some people to their limit, they snap."

"What happened to him?"

"Everything." Kessler brought Delsin back to Salmon Bay and the rift closed. Future Regina stood nearby and looked at him.

"All good, Dad," she asked.

"Yeah," said Delsin. "Where've you been?"

"Keeping out of the way. Salmon Bay, Seattle, their both my home in the future. Grew up here, moved there. I'm both trying to make sure I don't change anything and seeing the differences between now and… well I guess then covers the past, right? So…"

"Just… let's not try talking tenses when it comes to time travel, ok? I think we can both be spared the headache."

"Agreed."

"Come on, let's go see your mom and you."

"Oh, me as a baby. Only seen pictures."

"Uh… you interacting with yourself won't like… implode the universe or something, will it?"

"Dad, it already happened, remember?"

"…I hate time travel."

"You get used to it."

"Oh, and you have?"

"Dad, remind me to tell you what it is I do for my job sometime."

"You're military."

"That's only part of it. Come on, Dad." Delsin shook his head before following her into the Longhouse.


	21. Starting the Peace Talks

Within no time, Kessler's deadline was up. Delsin and the members of Night Raid returned to the original rift, along with Director Evans who was giving orders to the DUP soldiers on site at the rift platform. "You sure about going with them," asked Zeke. "It doesn't sound like a good idea to me."

"Relax, Zeke," said Samantha as she strapped her armor into place. Fetch and Samantha both wore similar armor to that of the Pawns. It was white and grey in color and their helmets were residing on a nearby table. "An impartial mediator is needed for peace talks. Besides, you know what I always say."

"Yeah, yeah. I hear ya. But if something goes wrong…"

"She's got me with her," said Delsin as he held up his hand, studying his new power. Delsin had spent some more time training under Augustine in Curdan Cay before copying Samantha's power and absorbing a few Blast Cores to further evolve his power over Glass. He flared his arm and fractals of glass lifted off his arm and disappeared as his hand turned into a transparent mass. He smiled as he refracted light from the sun, making multiple beams shoot out and hit surfaces around the New Dups, as he called Samantha's incarnation of the DUP. A few of them jump at the action while a couple grumbled, one even going so far as to flipping him the bird. "Ah, never gets old."

"Please stop harassing my agents, Rowe." She turned to Fetch. "Take charge here, Agent Walker. We'll coordinate everything through the radios provided by Mrs. Simms."

"Got it boss," said Fetch before she turned to future Regina. "And you look after your father, young lady."

"Don't gotta tell me twice, Mom," said Regina with a grin and a salute, looking very much like a mix between her and Seryu.

"Nice to know you have confidence in me," said Delsin.

"We'd have more if you didn't have a record of doing things half-cocked, Dad."

"She's got you there," said Seryu with a grin, Akame and Chelsea nodding in agreement.

"Ok," said Delsin. "Ganging up on Delsin time is over. Kessler! We're ready over here!" As soon as he said that, the rift opened and Delsin was met with the sight of Generals Budo, Esdeath, and Najenda glaring at one another, weapons drawn. "Oh, crap. Hey!" Delsin rushed through and stood between the two sides, seeing the Jaegers and Night Raid also with weapons drawn. "None of that! We need to establish a few things, right now!"

"Delsin," said Esdeath. "What are you doing?! Stand aside!"

"Not until you all calm down, put away your weapons, and do what should've been done had the minister not been around, instead of shedding blood, instead of wasting lives, you should sit down and talk!" Delsin glared at both sides as he flared his Glass and the others stepped through as well.

"You paraphrased Doctor Who," shouted Eugene from the rift.

"Shut up!"

"Enough," said Samantha as she stepped through the rift, followed by the others. "Generals. A pleasure to meet you all. My name is Samantha Evans. I am Director of the Department of Unified Protection in Delsin's world. I'm here to act as mediator for the peace talks between the Empire and Revolutionary Army."

"Delsin's world," asked Budo.

"He wasn't told the full story," muttered Delsin after clearing his throat.

"A word of warning would've been nice," said Samantha with an annoyed grunt.

"Well, I'm telling you now, so…" Samantha glared at him before looking at the generals once more.

"Please. All of you stand down and allow Mr. Rowe to bring us to your Emperor so we may discuss peace talks on behalf of the Empire and the Revolutionary Army. Delsin has asked for my help in this because he has friends on both sides of this conflict. The only way to ensure that they do not perish is peace. Please. Allow us to take the first steps to that peace."

"On behalf of the Revolutionary Army," said Najenda. "I will be willing to talk." Budo glared at them before taking a long look at Delsin and sighing.

"I suppose I should at least attempt this," he said. "If it weren't for Delsin, things wouldn't have started to change for the better in the Capital and allow me to better coordinate with the other cities in the Empire." Delsin turned to Esdeath and saw her breathe out before sheathing her rapier. Delsin let out the breath he'd been holding as he worried about Esdeath. He knew why she would even contemplate this. Cereza. Those two had already formed a very strong bond. Esdeath wasn't about to do anything that could mean hurting the child Conduit.

"Good," said Samantha. "Now, Delsin. I believe you should take us to the Capital." Delsin nodded and looked at Najenda, knowing that they still had an assassination job to do to protect the leader of the Path of Peace. Najenda shot a silent look to Akame who nodded slightly in understanding. Delsin activated Shambhala and brought the group into the Imperial Courtyard. Seeing members of Night Raid, the guard brought their weapons out and took aim.

"Stand down! That's an order!" Ayumi looked at Budo in confusion before holding up her hand, signaling the guardsmen to lower their weapons. Seryu breathed out a sigh of relief before looking at Delsin.

"You could've brought us anywhere but here," she shouted, smacking his shoulder.

"Best place I could think off with enough space and low levels of traffic," defended Delsin.

"Outside the palace gates would've been fine," said Budo as he shook his head.

"Well sorry for not thinking that!"

"That's enough," said Samantha. "Mr. Rowe we're pressed for time as it is, according to Kessler. Miss Ubiquitous, please go with Delsin and retrieve Emperor Makoto so we can begin."

"On it," said Seryu before she pat Delsin on the shoulder and the two started walking to the throne room. "The differences between our two worlds is so drastic."

"So how did you enjoy Seattle and Salmon Bay," asked Delsin.

"They were wonderful! You've told us about it all but seeing it in person…" Seryu turned to him with a smile. "And of course the Akomish are wonderful as well!"

"They're my family." Delsin stopped and pulled her to him, making her blush. "And now you and the others are part of that family as well." They shared a smile and a brief kiss before continuing for the Throne Room with Koro sitting on Delsin's shoulder.

"Betty is so nice! She treats you like her own son!"

"Well, it was her specifically that raised us when Mom and Dad died. So in a way, me and Reggie are her sons. Boy was she surprised when she learned about you three."

"And when Fetch basically said it was her idea, I thought she was going to faint."

"She was just equally worried and happy. It was like when I got accepted into college and refused to go."

"Why didn't you?"

"Didn't feel right. Reggie was already becoming a cop, leaving Betty alone just felt… I don't know. Just not what I was supposed to do."

"Well, at least now you've found what it is you were supposed to do."

"Yeah." The Imperial Guard in front of the Throne Room aimed their weapons until they spotted Seryu.

"We're escorting the Emperor to Generals Budo and Esdeath. General Najenda of the Revolutionary Army is here under the pretense of peace talks and we're to bring the Emperor to the courtyard. Of course, being the Emperor's bodyguards, you won't leave his side and that is fine." Delsin looked at one of the bodyguards and saw he was shuffling his feet nervously. Delsin stretched with his hand turning reflective like a mirror and looked behind him discretely. He saw the members of Kurumi's former group and formed a half dome around him and Seryu as multiple arrows shot towards them. Delsin blasted the half dome to the assassins and impaled two of them with glass shards before leaving a glass copy of himself and dashing away as the brute of the group slammed a massive hammer down on where he was standing. The copy shattered and shards obscured his vision as Delsin shot a glass spike at him.

The spike pinned the brute to the wall by his armor and Seryu sent a Wave at the remaining assassins before using the water to pin them to the ground. Delsin sighed and closed the eyes of the two Dark Squad assassins he killed before shaking his head. "Dammit, Honest. I hope you're rotting in hell."

"What's going on," asked Makoto as he looked out into the hall.

"Hey, kid."

"Oh! Hello, Mr. Simms!" Makoto smiled and moved forward to the two Conduits as the bodyguards surrounded him. He spotted the aftermath of the battle and frowned. "What happened?"

"I think your uncle put a price on Delsin's head," said Seryu.

"Delsin?"

"My real name," said the Mimic Conduit. "I used my friend's name to avoid enemies from finding me if they followed me here."

"Oh, I see! Very smart, Mr. Simms!"

"Name's Delsin Rowe, kid."

"You will address the Emperor with respect," shouted one of the bodyguards.

"It's fine," said Makoto. "So, Mr. Rowe. How can I help you?"

"Well, coming with us to attend peace talks with the Revolutionary Army would be fine."

"Peace talks?" Makoto looked at Delsin. "Why would I do that?"

"Because it's the smart and selfless thing to do."

"Uncle Honest says…"

"Kid, Honest was a bad guy."

"Was?"

"His son killed him," said Seryu. "And we killed Shura when he threatened us."

"Look," said Delsin. "Honest was a selfish, cruel and dishonest person. In fact I think his name was meant to be ironic. Someone like him is only out for themselves and will use people only to elevate their own agenda. Like he was trying to use you."

"Me," asked Makoto.

"We think that Honest had your parents killed so he could manipulate you into his line of thinking," said Seryu. "After all, the strongest position without being in immediate danger is just below the Emperor." Makoto frowned before shaking his head.

"I don't believe you."

"Kid," said Delsin. "Think about how your parents did things, if you can remember the way they ruled at all. Did Honest do anything along the same lines?" Makoto frowned before looking at one of his bodyguards.

"How did my parents rule?" One of the guards looked at him before thinking.

"Well," he said. "Emperor Gaius was fair. He also had a very strict way of doing things. He never showed favoritism for any of the nobles and was quick to do away with potential threats to the people. And Lady Celine was kind and caring to the people of the Capital, even going so far as to bring food to those in the Slums District. Whereas Honest kept all of the food for himself and disregarded even the nobles, preferring to waste rather than to hand out." One of the other bodyguards glared at him and he shrugged. "What?! It's not like Honest is around anymore to threaten our lives! You heard Simms! I mean, Rowe." Makoto frowned as he looked lost in thought.

"Makoto," said Delsin. "The only way to ensure the war ends is through peace. With Honest gone, that peace can be reached quicker, and we need it to. There's a threat to the Empire coming and we need as many people available to fight it as possible. But first we need to stop all of the fighting. Please. Help us do that. If not to help the common people, then to help yourself if Honest has truly turned you to his way of thinking." Emperor Makoto regarded Delsin for a moment before nodding.

"Alright, Mr. Rowe," said the Emperor. "Lead the way then."

"What about them," asked one of the bodyguards as he nodded to Dark Squad.

"They were following orders," said Delsin. "But I'd also like them to stop trying to kill me."

"Two of you lock them up for the time being," said Seryu. "General Budo will deal with them after we've concluded the peace talks." They looked at Makoto and saluted when he nodded in agreement. Two of the bodyguards went and restrained the Dark Squad members before pushing them ahead to the cells in the dungeon. "Shall we go, Emperor?"

"Of course," said Makoto. Delsin nodded and took up a position behind the Emperor's guards, using his hand to see if they were being tailed out of precaution. When they arrived in the courtyard, Ayumi ran over to them.

"Delsin, Seryu," she said. "What's going on?"

"If things go accordingly," said Delsin. "An end to the fighting."

"He's so young," said Samantha as she saw the Emperor.

"You shouldn't be surprised," said Chelsea. "We're not a democratic state like your home."

"I know, but it's still jarring, seeing a king so young and inexperienced."

"It's why our country is the way it is currently," said Najenda. "Prime Minister Honest ruined everything after the death of the previous Emperor." She held out a cigarette to Samantha who waved it away.

"No thank you. Been trying to quit."

"Still haven't kicked that habit, Najenda," said Budo.

"No," said Najenda. "And you can't blame me considering what I've been through."

"How's the eye," asked Esdeath with a grin.

"Sore with you in sight."

"Ladies," said Delsin. "Now's not the time for a catfight. As hot as that would be." Seryu and Chelsea both smacked his shoulders at the comment.

"Really, Delsin," asked Reggie as he shook his head.

"Now that we're all here," said Samantha. "We can begin the peace talks. Members of the Jaegers and of Night Raid are asked to leave, or at the very least, leave your Imperial Arms out of these discussions. Generals, that goes for you as well. As for Najenda, I believe Sergeant Ayumi's Power would be enough to counter your Conduit enhanced abilities as well as Delsin's."

"Who are you," asked Makoto.

"My apologies. My name is Samantha Evans. I'm from Delsin's home and have been asked to oversee the peace talks as an impartial third party with no ties to either side in this conflict. I hope we can bring peace to your great country."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Madam Evans. I'm still unsure about the reason for the war as a whole. But I hope I can understand everything before we're done."

"Of course. Now then…" Samantha used her ability to conjure a glass table and several chairs for the generals and Emperor to sit down, with Ayumi standing nearby, nervous about being in the same presence as the powerhouses, especially General Esdeath. Her growing maturity because of Cereza may have altered her slightly, but she was still the same scary and merciless general more than half of the Imperial Military feared. "Let's start our discussions to end the war." She gestured for them to sit on opposite sides of her. "General Najenda. I believe you should begin the talks."

"Gladly," said Najenda before turning to the other side. Reggie turned to his brother as they started.

"Hopefully, this works," he muttered.

"It will," said Delsin. "Otherwise the Empire is gonna have a very hard time dealing with the Beast when he shows up. Don't want to have to rely on plan b right off the bat."

"If he's as tough as you think, it still may not be enough."

"We'll manage. I know we will."

"Hope you're right, little brother." Delsin nodded slightly before looking up at a small rift above them and breathing out a nervous sigh.

* * *

**(Alternate Imperial Capital Ruins)**

The Beast shouted in victory as he tore apart the last Conduit from this world's Ray Sphere and growled. "Not here! MacGrath," he shouted to the heavens. "Show yourself!" He roared ahead of him and a rift opened up. He looked through it and saw several people discussing something trivial. Then he saw the man he'd been hunting. Cole MacGrath. All that power wasted on a man like him. The Beast grinned before snapping, several Danger Beasts, all altered thanks in part to a second Ray Sphere he had collected from another version of his Earth and under his control bounded for him and he laughed softly. "Found you…"

* * *

**(Author's Notes)**

**Sorry to make this chapter brief, guys. I've been working on the last few chapters for this story and the peace talks between the RA and Empire, while important, would take away from this story too much. We have only a few chapters left guys. Thanks for taking an interest in my story. I hope you guys have read any of my other stories. Until next time, Y'all!**


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